BIRDS 


THE  GIFT  OF 

FLORENCE  V.  V.  DICKEY 

TO  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT  LOS  ANGELES 


THE  DONALD  R.  DICKEY 

LIBRARY 
OF  VERTEBRATE  ZOOLOGY 


METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 


RED-BREASTED  NUTHATCH  WHITE-BREASTED  NUTHATCH 


BOB-WHITE  AT   FEEDING-STATION 


METHODS  OF 
ATTRACTING  BIRDS 


BY 

GILBERT  H.  TRAFTON 

Supervisor  of  Nature-Study,  Passaic,  N.  J. 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PUBLISHED  UNDER  THE  AUSPICES  OP 

THE  NATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF 

AUDUBON  SOCIETIES 


BOSTON   AND  NEW  YORK 
HOUGHTON  M1FFLIN  COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,    1910,    BY    GILBERT    H.    TRAFTON 
ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED 

Published  September  iqiQ 


T67 


TO    THE    AUDUBON    SOCIETIES 

IN   APPRECIATION    OF    THEIR   WORK   IN 

THE    CAUSE    OF    BIRD-PROTECTION 

THIS   BOOK    IS    DEDICATED 


550867 


PREFACE 

THE  importance  of  attracting  birds  around 
our  homes  was  first  impressed  upon  the  author 
through  his  experience  with  children  in  connec- 
tion with  the  work  in  nature-study  in  the  public 
schools.  This  was  encouraged  chiefly  from  the 
child's  standpoint,  on  account  of  the  educative 
value  of  this  kind  of  work  on  the  child.  Further- 
more, from  the  standpoint  of  the  birds,  this  means 
of  encouraging  and  protecting  them  is  a  very 
efficient  one,  which  may  be  applied  by  all  bird- 
lovers,  adults  as  well  as  children. 

Hence  this  book  has  been  written  from  two 
view-points,  that  of  birds  and  that  of  human 
beings ;  for  the  protection  of  the  former  and  the 
pleasure  of  the  latter. 

The  author  has  not  attempted  to  restrict  him- 
self to  his  own  experiences,  but  has  drawn  freely 
upon  the  experiences  of  any  who  could  be  reached. 
And,  indeed,  the  chief  value  of  these  pages  lies 
in  the  fact  that  they  represent  the  results  of  so 
many  observers,  giving  a  brief  summary  of  the 
work  that  is  being  done  throughout  the  country. 

To  those  who  have  assisted  him  in  the  prepar- 
ation of  this  book,  the  author  wishes  to  extend 


viii  PREFACE 

his  sincere  thanks.  The  columns  of  "  Bird-Lore  " 
have  furnished  much  valuable  material,  other  mag- 
azines and  bird-books  have  been  consulted,  and 
through  personal  correspondence  much  of  value 
has  been  acquired.  From  these  same  sources  have 
been  secured  many  of  the  illustrations,  credit  for 
which  is  given  in  connection  with  each  photo- 
graph. A  list  of  those  to  whose  contributions  in 
any  of  these  ways  the  author  has  had  access,  is 
printed  in  an  appendix. 

The  author  takes  special  pleasure  in  acknow- 
ledging his  indebtedness  to  Mr.  Edward  Howe 
Forbush,  whose  wide  experience  renders  his  vari- 
ous publications  most  helpful,  and  who  has  read 
the  entire  manuscript,  offering  many  valuable 
suggestions. 

Special  thanks,  also,  are  due  Edward  Uehling 
for  many  valuable  suggestions  and  results  which 
his  ingenuity  and  persistence  have  made  possible. 

A  brief  summary  has  been  given  of  some  very 
interesting  experiments  carried  on  in  Germany 
by  Baron  von  Berlepsch,  whose  work  has  been 
described  by  Martin  Hiesemann  in  a  book  entitled 
"How  to  Attract  and  Protect  Wild  Birds," 
which  has  now  appeared  in  an  English  transla- 
tion. 

For  illustrations  used  in  this  book  thanks  are 
due  to  Messrs.  Ernest  Harold  Baynes,  J.  S. 


PREFACE  ix 

Becker,  Clarence  D.  Brown,  Edwin  C.  Brown, 
Frank  M.  Chapman,  C.  E.  Hamilton,  John  D. 
Haney,  Robert  W.  Hegner,  D.  Lange,  and 
Laurence  J.  Webster,  to  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher,  The 
Macmillan  Company,  "  Bird-Lore,"  and  "  Forest 
and  Stream,"  and  especially  to  Mr.  E.  H.  Forbush, 
who  has  furnished  the  drawings  for  a  number 
of  cuts  originally  published  in  his  "  Useful  Birds 
and  their  Protection,"  as  well  as  his  photograph 
of  the  screech  owl  in  its  nesting-box. 

The  author  will  welcome  any  correspondence 
regarding  experiences  along  the  lines  here  de- 
scribed, either  as  suggestions  regarding  the  im- 
provement of  any  methods  here  given,  or  as 
additional  information. 

The  preparation  of  this  book  was  carried  on 
with  the  support  of  the  National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies  after  consultation  with  its 
officers,  with  whose  express  approval  it  is  now 
issued. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 
THE  NEED  AND  VALUE  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS      ...      1 

CHAPTER  II 
NESTING-HOUSES 13 

CHAPTER  m 
ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS       80 

CHAPTER  IV 
DRINKING-  AND  BATHING-FOUNTAINS      .......  115 

CHAPTER  V 
PLANTING  TREES,  SHRUBS,  AND  VINES 123 

CHAPTER  VI 
BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS 136 

CHAPTER  VII 
BIRD-PHOTOGRAPHY 155 

APPENDIX 165 

INDEX  .  ...  169 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


RED-BREASTED  NUTHATCH,  PERCHED  ON  HAND 
Photograph  by  Laurence  J.  Webster 

WHITE-BREASTED  NUTHATCH,    FEEDING    FROM 
HAND 

Photograph  by  Edwin  C.  Brown 

BOB-WHITE  AT  A  FEEDING-STATION  PROVIDED  BY 
THE  HIGH-SCHOOL  BOYS  AT  STONEHAM,  MASS. 
Photograph  by  John  Tretilian 

BLUEBIRD  AT  ENTRANCE  TO  NESTING-BOX     . 

Photograph  by  Author 


Frontispiece 


14 


HOUSE  WREN  AND  TOMATO-CAN  HOUSE 14 

Photograph  by  Author 

TREE-  SWALLOW  AT  NESTING-BOX 14 

Photograph  by  W.  H.  Phillips 

MARTIN-HOUSE,  ACCOMMODATING  FIVE  THOUSAND  BIRDS  14 
Photograph  by  C.  E.  Hamilton 

HOLLOW  LIMB  Box 16 

BIRCH-BARE  HOUSE 17 

BLUEBIRD  Box 18 

OBSERVATION  Box,  CLOSED 20 

OBSERVATION  Box,  OPEN 21 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Two  VIEWS  OF  A  MARTIN  COLONY 22 

Photograph  by  J.  S.  Becker 

CLAY  NESTING-BOXES 22 

Photograph  by  Robert  W.  Hegner 

Box  WITH  SLIDING  COVER 23 

WOOD  DUCK  HOUSE 29 

BARREL  HOUSE  FOR  MARTINS 39 

Designed  by  E.  H.  Forbush 

SCREECH  OWL  IN  NESTLNG-BOX 40 

Photograph  by  E.  H.  Forbush 

SHELF  FOR  PHCEBE'S  NEST 64 

Drawn  by  E.  H.  Forbush 

TIN  OR  ZINC  CAT-GUARDS 62 

Drawn  by  E.  H.  Forbush 

BARBED-WIRE  CAT-GUARD 63 

A  CAT-PROOF  FENCE 64 

SONG  SPARROW  AT  LUNCH-COUNTER 80 

DOWNY  WOODPECKER  AT  LUNCH-COUNTER 80 

CHICKADEE  FEEDING  FROM  HAND 80 

Four  photographs  by  Author 


HERMIT  THRUSH  AT  LUNCH-COUNTER 


A  BIRD'S  TEPEE,  MADE  OF  BEAN-POLES  WITH  THE  VINES 

STILL  ATTACHED 80 

Photograph  by  Frank  M.  Chapman 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xv 

A  SELF-SUPPLYING  FEED-BOX 80 

Photograph  by  Edwin  C.  Brown 

SHELTER  FOR  BIRDS'  FOOD  (FIFTEEN  BIRDS  FEEDING, — 
SONG  SPARROWS,  TREE  SPARROWS,  JUNCOS)  ....    90 
Photograph  by  William  C.  Horton 

WINDOW  AND  MOVING  FOOD-SHELVES 90 

Photograph  by  Author 

FEEDING-HOUSE 101 

From  Berlepsch's  "  Der  Gesamte  Vogeltchutz  " 

FOOD-BELL 102 

From  Berlepsch 

CROSS-SECTION  DIAGRAM  OF  BIRDS'  DRINKING-FOUNTAIN  117 
BIRD  FOUNTAIN  OF  C.  D.  BROWN,  RUTHERFORD,  N.  J.    118 

BIRD  FOUNTAIN  IN  YARD  OF  FRANKLIN  SCHOOL,,  PAS- 
SAIC,  N.  J 118 

Photograph  by  Author 

A  BIRDS'  BATH 118 

Photograph  by  Eobert  W.  Hegner 

FRUITS  VALUABLE  AS  BIRD-FOOD 127 

Drawn  by  E.  H.  Forbush 

CHILDREN  WITH   BIRD-HOUSES,  LINCOLN  SCHOOL,  PAS- 

8AIC,   N.  J 138 

Photograph  by  Author 

BIRD-HOUSES   MADE    BY    CHILDREN   OF  PUBLIC  SCHOOL 

No.  5,  BRONX,  NEW  YORK  CITY 138 

Photograph  by  John  D.  Haney,  Principal 


METHODS 
OF  ATTRACTING  BIEDS 

CHAPTER  I 

THE   NEED   AND    VALUE    OF   ATTRACTING   BIRDS 

THE  reasons  for  attracting  birds  around  our 
homes  are  twofold :  first,  the  protection  of  the 
birds,  and  second,  the  resulting  benefits  that 
accrue  to  man,  both  on  account  of  the  great 
economic  value  of  these  birds  to  the  farmer  in 
his  struggle  with  injurious  insects,  and  also  on 
account  of  the  pleasure  derived  in  helping  and 
watching  the  birds. 

During  the  -winter  season  the  opportunity  of- 
fered for  studying  birds,  at  a  time  when  Nat- 
ure's activities  are  at  their  lowest  ebb,  is  most 
welcome,  and  especially  so  because  the  birds 
may  become  so  tame  that  they  will  feed  from  the 
window-sills  while  one  is  sitting  just  inside 
the  window,  thus  affording  opportunity  to  ob- 
serve them  at  close  range. 


2  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Destruction  of  Nesting-sites 
With  the  rapid  increase  in  population  in  our 
cities  and  large  towns,  and  their  corresponding 
growth  countryward,  roadside  shrubbery,  or- 
chards, decaying  trees,  and  other  nesting-sites 
are  steadily  disappearing  as  the  real-estate  agent 
extends  his  operations  and  begins  to  "  improve '' 
the  land. 

In  the  suburbs  of  cities,  birds  that  nest  in 
cavities  are  forced  to  hunt  very  closely  to  find 
a  nesting-site.  One  spring,  on  entering  a  little 
shed  which  had  remained  closed  for  several 
months,  the  author  found  inside  two  pairs  of 
dead  bluebirds,  which  had  evidently  entered 
a  knot-hole  on  the  side  of  the  building  in  their 
quest  for  a  nesting-place,  and  had  not  been 
able  to  find  their  way  out  again.  Wood  ducks, 
screech  owls,  and  flickers  have  been  found  dead 
in  stove-pipes  leading  from  tile  chimneys  in  sum- 
mer cottages  and  workshops.  Bluebirds  have 
been  found  drowned  in  water-barrels  in  the  coun- 
try, having  entered  through  holes  in  the  con- 
ductors. 

Even  in  the  country,  sometimes  the  farmer 
thinks  he  must  clear  up  the  shrubbery  and  the 
tangles  by  the  roadside  and  along  the  fences, 
which,  however,  furnish  one  excellent  means 


NEED  AND  VALUE  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS    3 

of  inducing  the  birds  to  remain  and  nest,  and 
thus  aid  the  farmer  in  his  struggle  with  the  in- 
sects. 

The  excessive  demand  for  wood,  both  for 
fuel  and  for  building,  is  causing  the  rapid  cut- 
ting of  trees  both  in  large  forests  and  in  small 
lots,  as  a  result  of  which  the  birds  which  seek 
shelter  or  nesting-sites  in  the  woods  are  each 
year  finding  it  more  difficult  to  secure  the  con- 
ditions necessary  for  their  maintenance. 

Winter  Protection 

The  winter  is  a  season,  when,  from  the  birds' 
standpoint,  assistance  in  obtaining  food  is  par- 
ticularly welcome.  When  heavy  snows  lie  on  the 
ground,  much  of  the  supply  of  the  seed-eating 
birds  is  hidden ;  and  when  the  tree-trunks  are  cov- 
ered with  ice,  insect-eating  birds  find  it  difficult 
to  break  through  this  coating,  to  secure  insects 
and  their  eggs  in  the  bark  beneath.  Under  or- 
dinary conditions  our  birds  can  withstand  quite 
cold  weather  if  they  are  well  supplied  with  food  ; 
but  this  is  digested  so  quickly  that  birds  require 
a  large  amount  and  frequent  access  to  it.  Many 
birds  perish  from  exposure  to  severe  storms  and 
weather,  as  well  as  from  starvation,  so  that  shel- 
ter as  well  as  food  is  necessary  to  protect  the 
winter  birds. 


4  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Winter  Mortality  among  Birds 

In  order  to  emphasize  the  need  of  furnishing 
food  and  shelter  for  the  winter  birds  as  a  prac- 
tical means  of  protecting  them  from  the  inclem- 
encies of  the  elements,  a  few  statistics  are  given 
showing  the  effect  of  the  winter  of  1903  and 
1904  upon  the  birds.  This  summary  is  taken 
from  a  report  by  Edward  Howe  Forbush,  based 
upon  observations  of  seventy-five  correspondents 
in  Massachusetts,  and  fifteen  from  neighboring 
states.  While  this  winter  was  an  unusually  severe 
one,  yet  these  reports  suggest  the  dangers  to 
which  birds  are  exposed  during  average  winters, 
as  well  as  the  extreme  perils  of  an  occasional 
severe  one. 

During  the  first  half  of  the  winter  birds  were 
present  in  about  their  usual  numbers,  but  as  the 
severity  of  the  weather  increased  the  number  of 
birds  began  to  decrease,  till  about  the  end  of  the 
winter  a  very  noticeable  mortality  was  universally 
reported,  and  many  birds  were  found  dying  of 
cold  and  hunger ;  and  it  was  the  opinion  of  those 
best  fitted  to  judge  that  most  of  the  birds  which 
usually  wintered  there  were  either  starved  or 
frozen. 

Among  the  greatest  sufferers  were  the  bob- 
white,  partridge,  meadowlark,  and  flicker.  In 


NEED  AND  VALUE  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS    5 

some  localities  the  bob-white  was  apparently  en- 
tirely exterminated,  Mr.  Forbush  estimating  that 
it  had  been  reduced  at  least  ninety-five  per  cent. 

Effect  of  feeding  Birds 

The  important  part  of  the  report  is  that  which 
shows  the  protection  afforded  the  birds  by  feed- 
ing them.  Mr.  Forbush  says :  "  Reports  that  have 
come  in  from  all  portions  of  the  state  lead  to  the 
conclusion  that  large  numbers  of  birds  have  been 
saved  from  starvation  during  the  winter  by  peo- 
ple who  have  fed  them.  Most  of  the  reports  indi- 
cate that  where  birds  were  well  fed,  nuthatches 
and  downy  woodpeckers  wintered  very  well ;  else- 
where they  had  a  hard  time.  The  trees  were 
frozen  so  hard  that  drilling  into  them  for  insects 
was  difficult,  and  woodpeckers  have  been  operat- 
ing on  cedar  rails  and  posts,  and  under  the  eaves 
of  log  and  slab  shanties  in  the  woods.  My  own 
experience  indicates  that  nearly  all  birds  were 
scarce  except  where  they  were  fed.  Many  people 
were  feeding  them,  and  they  were  attracted  to 
these  feeding-places,  so  that  they  appeared  at 
such  places  to  be  in  their  usual  numbers. 

"  The  mortality  seems  to  have  been  least 
among  those  familiar  species  that  seek  the  habi- 
tations of  man,  thus  finding  the  food  exposed  for 
them ;  and  greatest  among  those  like  the  mead- 


6  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

owlark  and  quail,  that  have  most  reason  to  fear 
man  and  therefore  usually  keep  at  a  safe  distance 
from  human  habitations." 

Value  of  attracting  Birds  to  the  Farm 

The  farmer  will  find  it  a  profitable  business 
undertaking  to  make  efforts  to  attract  birds 
around  his  dwellings  and  orchard  for  the  return 
which  the  birds  give  in  destroying  the  insects 
that  attack  his  crops.  The  real  practical  value 
to  the  farmer,  from  a  business  standpoint,  of  tak- 
ing the  steps  necessary  to  encourage  the  presence 
of  birds  around  the  farm,  is  generally  unappre- 
ciated. The  progressive  farmer  does  not  be- 
grudge the  expense  entailed  in  securing  a  spray- 
ing outfit,  and  the  annual  outlay  involved  in  its 
use.  With  an  expense  so  small  that  it  hardly 
needs  to  be  taken  into  account,  the  farmer  may 
have  very  efficient  insect-destroyers  in  the  flocks 
of  birds  which  may  be  attracted  around  the 
farm,  —  destroyers  which  do  not  require  the  time 
and  supervision  of  the  farmer  to  render  them 
effective,  but  which  of  their  own  accord  are  con- 
stantly at  work  from  sunrise  until  sunset,  freeing 
the  farm  from  its  insect  enemies.  Some  enter- 
prising farmers  are  taking  steps  to  attract  birds 
around  their  farms.  A  successful  fruit-grower  in 
Georgia  has  erected  a  series  of  tall  poles  in  his 


NEED  AND  VALUE  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS     7 

peach  orchard,  from  which  are  hung  gourds  for 
the  martins  to  nest  in. 

Not  only  may  there  be  freedom  from  large 
insect  outbreaks  and  the  expense  involved  in 
keeping  them  in  check,  but  under  the  ordinary 
conditions,  when  insects  may  do  only  slight  dam- 
age, undoubtedly  even  this  slight  amount  is  less- 
ened and  the  quantity  of  crops  harvested  corre- 
spondingly increased,  through  the  activities  of 
the  birds. 

There  are  on  record  enough  instances  to  show 
the  resulting  benefits,  when  systematic  efforts  are 
made  to  encourage  the  presence  of  birds. 

Mr.  Forbush  cites  an  instance  of  four  young 
apple  trees  which  were  infested  with  plant-lice. 
Two  of  the  trees,  which  were  located  near  houses 
containing  families  of  bluebirds  and  chickadees, 
were  almost  entirely  cleared  of  the  lice  by  these 
birds,  while  the  other  two,  which  were  some  dis- 
tance away,  finally  died  from  the  effect  of  the 
pests. 

Evidence  of  the  value  of  attracting  birds  also 
comes  from  Germany,  where  systematic  experi- 
ments have  been  carried  out.  In  the  spring  of 
1905  the  larvae  of  a  moth  attacked  a  large  wood, 
near  Eisenach,  and  stripped  it  almost  entirely 
of  its  foliage ;  while  in  a  neighboring  wood  at 
Seebach,  in  which  nesting-houses  had  been 


8  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

systematically  placed,  the  trees  were  uninjured. 
A  similar  effect  was  noticed  in  the  orchards.  At 
Seebach  the  trees  always  escaped  the  devastation 
of  insects,  while  the  neighboring  orchards  fre- 
quently suffered  from  their  attacks.  The  inhab- 
itants of  the  neighboring  villages  noticed  this 
difference  and  began  to  hang  up  bird-houses,  as 
a  result  of  which  a  decrease  in  the  caterpillar 
plague  was  noticed. 

Those  native  birds  which  may  be  induced  to 
live  in  artificial  houses  or  around  buildings  are 
very  valuable  from  the  economic  standpoint  of 
the  farmer.  In  tabular  form  below  are  given  the 
essential  facts  regarding  the  food-habits  of  these 
birds,  and  also  a  table  showing  the  frequency 
with  which  the  young  are  fed.  It  is  especially  at 
this  time,  when  the  birds  are  feeding  their  young, 
that  they  are  of  great  value  on  account  of  the 
enormous  amount  of  food  required  by  the  nest- 
lings. For  the  first  days  of  their  existence  they 
eat  more  than  their  own  weight  of  food  in  a  day, 
and  gain  in  weight  from  twenty  to  fifty  per  cent 
during  the  same  period.  The  work  of  feeding 
begins  at  sunrise  and  continues  without  intermis- 
sion until  sunset,  food  being  brought  to  the  nest- 
lings every  four  or  five  minutes.  This  consists 
almost  entirely  of  insects,  even  for  the  young  of 
the  seed-eating  birds. 


NEED  AND  VALUE  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS     9 

In  the  following  table  the  figures  indicate  the 
per  cent  of  total  food. 


Total  Food 

To  Bird?  Credit 

To  Bird*1 
Discredit 

Culti- 

Animal 

Vegetable 

Insect 

Mammal 

vated 

Food 

food 

PMta 

Pests 

Grain 

Fruit 

Bluebird 

76 

24 

53 

9 

Chickadee 

(winter) 

77 

23 

28 

Flicker 

59 

41 

43 

1 

Screech  Owl 

75 

Phcebe 

93 

7 

75 

Robin 

42 

58 

35 

4 

House  Wren 

98 

2 

52 

Martin  and   7 

Swallows  J 

All  are  almost  entirely  insect-eating,  and 
among  the  most  valuable  birds  to  the  farmer. 

TABLE  OF  THE  FEEDING  OF  NESTLINGS 


Times        Times 
fed  in       between 
hour.        meals. 

Number         Age  on 
Age  of                     of              leaving 
Nestlings.            Young.            nest. 

Bluebird 

15 

4min. 

5  days. 

3 

11  days. 

Chickadee 

21 

3    ** 

Not  recorded. 

7 

Not  recorded. 

Martin 

13 

4-5    « 

Not  recorded. 

4 

24-28  days. 

Phoebe 

17 

3-4    " 

4  days. 

2 

15  days. 

Robin 

18 

7-8     " 

9    « 

3 

12     « 

Tree 

Swallow 

14 

4    « 

13    " 

6 

15    " 

House 

Wren 

19 

Q      « 

3    « 

5 

10    « 

Value  of  Winter  Birds 

Not  only  in  spring  and  summer  may  the  birds 
be  of  great  value  to  the  farmer,  but  during  the 
winter  as  well ;  so  that  efforts  should  be  made 
during  this  season  to  attract  birds  around  the 


10  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

orchard,  that  they  may  feed  upon  the  eggs  of 
the  insects  during  the  winter,  and  remain  in  the 
spring  to  attack  the  larvae  that  may  hatch  from 
the  uneaten  eggs. 

A  very  instructive  experiment  was  tried  by 
Mr.  Forbush  in  Massachusetts.  An  old  neglected 
orchard  was  selected,  and  during  the  winter 
months  special  effort  was  made  to  attract  the 
birds  by  means  of  suet  and  other  food.  By  this 
means  chickadees,  nuthatches,  woodpeckers,  and 
creepers  were  attracted  to  the  orchard,  remaining 
during  the  winter  months.  Observations  of  the 
feeding-habits  and  examination  of  the  stomach- 
contents  of  a  few  chickadees  showed  that  they 
were  eating  large  numbers  of  eggs  of  the  fall 
canker-worm  moth,  and  the  larvae  and  pupae  of 
other  injurious  insects.  In  the  spring,  when  the 
female  canker-worm  moths  appeared  in  the  or- 
chard, the  chickadee  fed  on  these.  "While  the 
trees  in  the  neighboring  orchards  were  badly 
infested  with  the  worms,  comparatively  few  were 
found  in  the  orchard  which  had  been  frequented 
by  the  winter  birds,  and  the  few  which  did  ap- 
pear were  easily  disposed  of  by  the  summer  birds 
which  came  to  the  locality.  The  trees  in  other 
orchards  were  almost  .stripped  of  their  foliage, 
while  this  one  retained  its  leaves,  and  with  one 
exception  was  the  only  orchard  in  the  neighbor- 


NEED  AND  VALUE  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS    11 

hood  to  produce  any  fruit.  It  should  be  noted 
that  the  exception  was  the  nearest  orchard  to  the 
one  on  which  the  experiment  was  tried. 

Mr.  Mann,  a  pear-grower  of  Rochester,  New 
York,  reports  that  one  year  the  tree  psylla  had 
destroyed  his  entire  crop,  and  that  he  thought 
there  were  no  prospects  of  a  crop  the  following 
year ;  but  nuthatches  came  and  worked  in  flocks 
in  his  orchard  all  winter,  and  in  the  spring  he 
could  find  hardly  an  insect.  Thus  these  nut- 
hatches saved  him  thousands  of  dollars  in  one 
winter. 

Such  facts  as  these  are  worthy  of  the  careful 
consideration  of  every  fruit-grower  and  farmer. 

Problems  of  Bird  Life 

The  chief  problems  in  the  bird's  life  have  to 
do  with  the  securing  of  food  and  water,  the  rear- 
ing of  the  young,  and  protection  at  all  times 
from  the  dangers  to  which  they  are  exposed.  Ef- 
fective means  of  attracting  birds  must  take  all 
these  problems  into  account.  The  food-require- 
ment may  be  partly  met  by  feeding  birds  in  win- 
ter and  planting  shrubs  and  trees  which  provide 
fruit.  The  demand  for  water  may  be  met  by 
providing  fountains  which  may  serve  for  bathing 
as  well  as  drinking  purposes.  The  problem  of 
rearing  young  may  be  solved  by  furnishing  nest- 


12  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

ing-houses,  nesting-material,  and  by  planting 
shrubs  and  trees  which  provide  nesting-sites. 
The  question  of  protecting  the  birds  may  be 
partly  met  by  furnishing  shelter  in  the  winter, 
and  must  always  be  taken  into  account  in  using 
the  means  mentioned  above  to  attract  birds 
around  our  homes,  to  see  that  they  are  not  un- 
duly exposed  to  such  dangers  as  are  found 
around  human  habitations. 

In  the  following  pages  of  this  book  the  vari- 
ous means  of  meeting  these  demands  of  bird  life 
are  discussed  under  the  following  headings:  nest- 
ing-houses and  nesting-material ;  feeding  winter 
birds ;  drinking-  and  bathing-fountains ;  shrubs, 
trees,  and  other  plants  to  attract  birds. 


CHAPTER  H 

NESTING-HOUSES 

Adaptability  of  Birds.  —  Many  birds  have 
adapted  their  nesting-habits,  in  part,  at  least,  to 
the  changed  conditions  brought  about  through 
man's  agency,  where  the  changes  have  not  been 
of  too  radical  a  nature.  And  some,  indeed,  seem 
to  prefer  these  new  conditions  to  the  original 
ones ;  chimney  swifts  have  changed  their  nesting- 
sites  from  caves  and  hollow  trees  to  chimneys ; 
the  phcebe  rather  prefers  the  beams  of  a  shed  or 
bridge  to  the  cliffs,  caves,  and  overhanging  banks 
which  probably  formed  its  original  nesting-site ; 
the  eave  swallow  nests  under  eaves  as  well  as  on 
cliffs;  the  barn  swallow  now  nests  almost  en- 
tirely in  barns,  in  preference  to  cliffs  and  caves, 
where  it  was  once  wont  to  nest ;  the  robin  fre- 
quently selects  some  portion  of  a  building ;  the 
Carolina  wren  has  been  found  nesting  in  a  barn ; 
several  species  quite  commonly  nest  in  artificial 
houses  provided  for  them. 

When  the  birds  have  shown  such  powers  of 
adaptability  without  much  effort  on  man's  part  to 
assist,  there  certainly  is  a  large  opportunity  still 


14  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

further  to  draw  birds  around  habitations,  when 
man  makes  some  special  effort  to  attract  them. 
It  is  the  purpose  of  this  book  to  render  some 
suggestions  looking  toward  this  end.  Not  only 
may  we  hope  to  increase  the  number  of  individ- 
uals of  those  birds  now  known  to  nest  around 
buildings  and  in  bird-houses,  but  we  may  expect 
to  domesticate  other  species  of  birds,  whose  nest- 
ing-habits are  such  that  we  may  imitate  their 
nesting-sites  by  means  of  artificial  houses. 

The  birds  which  have  been  known  to  nest  in 
bird-houses,  as  far  as  the  author  has  been  able  to 
secure  any  records,  are  the  following  :  — 

BIRDS  USING  NESTING-HOUSES 

(Those  marked  with  an  asterisk  use  houses  quite  commonly). 
Bluebirds : 

*Eastern     (Sialia  sialis). 
*Western    (Sialia  mexicana  occidentalis). 

Mountain  (Sialia  arcticd). 
Chickadees  : 

*Black-capped  (Penthestes  atricapillus). 
*Oregon  (Penthestes  atricapillus  occidentalis). 

Carolina  (Penthestes  carolinensis). 
Duck,  Wood  (Aix  sponsd). 
*Finch,  House  (Carpodacus  mexicana  frontalis). 
Flicker  (Colaptes  auratus  luteus). 
Flycatcher,  Crested  (Myiarchus  crinitus). 
Hawk,  Sparrow  (Falco  sparverius). 
*Martin,  Purple  (Progne  subis). 
Owl,  Screech  (Otus  asio). 
Robin  (Planesticus  migratorius). 
*Sparrow,  English  (Passer  domesticus). 


BLUEBIRD   AT  ENTRANCE   TO 
NESTING-BOX 


HOUSE   WREN  AND 
TOMATO-CAN   HOUSE 


TREE   SWALLOW  AT 
NESTING-BOX 


MARTIN-HOUSE 

accommodating  five  thousand  birds 


NESTING-HOUSES  15 

Starling  (Sturnus  vulgaris). 
Swallows  : 

*Tree  (Iridoprocne  Hcolor). 

*Violet-green  ( Tachycineta  thalassina  lepida). 
Titmouse,  Tufted  (Bwolophus  bicolor). 
Woodpecker,  Red-headed  (Melanerpes  erythrocephalus~). 
Wrens  : 

*House  (Troglodytes  aedon). 

*Parkman's  (Troglodytes  aedon  parkmanii). 
Bewick's  (Thryomanes  bewickii). 

*Vigors's  (Thryomanes  bewickii  spilurus'). 
Texas  Bewick's  (Thryomanes  bewickii  cryptus). 

The  following  nest  in  hollow  trees  and  so 
might  possibly  be  induced  to  occupy  nesting- 
houses  :  — 

The  woodpeckers,  nuthatches,  Carolina  wren, 
barn  owl,  barred  owl,  and  saw-whet  owl. 

There  are  other  birds  which  may  be  attracted 
around  buildings  by  putting  up  shelves  or  open 
boxes,  or  leaving  openings  in  the  barns  ;  such  as 
the  phoebe,  robin,  barn  swallow,  eave  swallow, 
chimney  swift,  and  Say's  phoebe. 

In  building  a  bird-house  one  must  take  into 
account  the  species  for  which  the  house  is  in- 
tended ;  but  the  author  will  first  take  up  the 
discussion  of  a  few  general  considerations  before 
treating  the  question  of  special  adaptations  for 
each  bird. 

Hollow  Limbs.  —  We  may  evidently  hope  to 
be  most  successful  with  that  kind  of  house  which 


16  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

most  closely  imitates  the  natural  nesting-site  of 
the  birds.  Those  birds  which  have  been  induced 
to  nest  in  artificial  houses  are  of  species  which 
naturally  select  a  hollow  tree  or  limb  in  which  to 
locate  their  nest.  Sections  of  such  hollow  trees 
or  limbs  make  some  of  the  very 
best  bird-houses.  Sometimes  pieces 
may  be  found  with  the  centre 
already  decayed,  in  which  case  it 
is  necessary  only  to  saw  off  a  sec- 
tion of  the  desired  length,  fasten 
on  a  floor  and  roof,  and  make  the 
entrance  hole.  It  is  desirable  that 
the  roof  be  put  on  in  such  a  way 
as  to  be  readily  removed.  To  hol- 
low out  a  solid  limb,  saw  it  in 
halves  from  one  end  to  about 

HOLLOW  LIMB  BOX  tbree  inclies  from  the  °tlier>  where 
a  cross-cut  is  made  at  right  angles. 
The  two  pieces  may  be  gouged  out  to  the  desired 
size  and  wired  or  screwed  together,  so  that  they 
can  be  easily  taken  apart  if  desired.  Or,  if  one 
has  a  large  auger,  a  hole  may  be  bored.  If  one 
happens  to  have  a  section  of  the  wooden  tubing 
of  an  old-fashioned  pump,  this  may  be  made  to 
serve  as  a  substitute  for  a  hollow  limb. 

Bark  Houses.  —  Very  attractive  houses  can 


NESTING-HOUSES 


17 


be  made  entirely  of  bark.  Limbs  of  trees,  or 
small  trees  of  the  desired  size,  should  be  cut  into 
sections  of  ten  or  twelve  inches  in 
length,  about  the  latter  part  of 
June,  when  the  bark  can  be  easily 
removed.  Elm,  chestnut,  or  birch  is 
especially  recommended,  and  limbs 
which  are  free  from  knots  should 
be  chosen.  About  two  or  three 
inches  from  one  end  bore  an  en- 
trance hole  of  the  desired  size 
through  the  bark.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  section  make  an  incision 
lengthwise  through  the  entire  bark. 
By  means  of  a  wooden  wedge  care- 
fully remove  the  bark.  Saw  off  sec- 
tions of  the  wood  about  an  inch  thick  for  the 
top  and  bottom.  Trim  these  off  a  little,  so  that 
when  the  bark  is  placed  around  them  the  edges 
overlap  about  a  half -inch.  Nail  the  bark  to  these 
sections,  and  along  the  slit  at  the  back  attach  a 
strip  of  wood  which  may  be  used  to  fasten  up 
the  box  in  the  desired  locality.  To  make  the  roof 
waterproof  a  piece  of  tin  or  zinc  may  be  fastened 
over  the  top.  In  order  that  the  box  may  be 
opened  for  cleaning  or  examination,  in  place  of 
the  section  of  wood  the  bark  may  be  fastened  to 
a  hoop  and  the  box  covered  by  means  of  a  cap  of 


BIRCH-BARK 
HOUSE 


18  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

wood  or  tin  fitting  on  over  the  top  like  the  covei 
of  a  pail. 

Very  good  imitations  of  tree-trunks  may  be 
secured  by  constructing  boxes  out  of  slabs  with 
the  bark  on,  or  pieces  of  bark  may  be  fastened 
on  boards. 

Board  Houses.  —  It  is  not  necessary,  however, 
to  use  old  limbs  or  bark  to  build  a  house  which 
the  birds  will  use.  A  satisfactory  box  can  be 
made  out  of  ordinary  boards,  the  older  the  better, 
as  the  birds  are  apt  to  be  frightened  away  by 
new  boards ;  but  if  these  are  used 
they  should  be  smeared  with 
moist  soil  and  exposed  to  the 
weather  as  long  as  possible  before 
the  birds  are  expected  to  use  the 
house,  or  they  may  be  stained 
green  or  brown.  In  the  construc- 
tion of  these  houses  a  few  points 
are  to  be  noted.  (1)  The  box 
should  be  very  deep,  that  is,  with 
the  large  dimension  vertical ;  (2) 
the  hole  should  be  well  up  near 
the  top,  within  two  or  three  inches, 
with  no  perch  near ;  (3)  the  roof  should  slope 
from  the  back  toward  the  front  and  project  out 
about  three  inches.  The  first  two  points  make  it 


NESTING-HOUSES  19 

difficult  for  the  young  birds  to  leave  the  house, 
with  the  result  that  when  they  do  leave  they  are 
strong  and  better  able  to  care  for  themselves  than 
they  would  be  had  they  left  the  house  earlier. 
The  combination  of  the  three  serves  a  twofold 
purpose :  it  prevents  the  rain  from  beating  in  and 
keeps  the  cats  out.  This  is  practically  a  cat-proof 
house.  From  whichever  position  the  cat  may 
attempt  to  reach  the  hole,  whether  from  above 
or  below,  the  projecting  roof  renders  it  extremely 
difficult  for  the  animal  to  gain  a  position  from 
which  it  can  reach  into  the  nest.  The  difficulty  of 
reaching  the  house  may  be  still  further  increased 
by  attaching  the  house  to  a  long  slender  support. 
The  roof  should  be  attached  by  hinges  or  in  some 
other  method  so  that  it  may  be  easily  lifted.  On 
the  whole  the  author  considers  this  the  best  type 
of  house  for  bluebirds  and  chickadees  that  he  has 
ever  used.  A  projecting  roof  can  be  easily  placed 
on  the  hollow  limbs  previously  described,  and 
the  author  also  advises  that  a  roof  of  this  kind 
be  put  on  the  bark  houses,  if  any  danger  from 
cats  is  anticipated. 

Observation  Box.  —  An  observation  box  con- 
structed like  that  shown  here  allows  a  splendid 
opportunity  for  studying  intimately  the  home 
life  of  the  birds.  One  side  is  attached  by  a  hinge 


20 


METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 


so  that  it  can  be  opened,  and  inside  is  fastened 
a  pane  of  glass.  By  this  means  the  door  can 
be  opened  by  any  one  "who  wishes  and  a  close 


OBSERVATION  BOX  CLOSED 

observation  made  of  what  passes  inside ;  but  the 
door  should  be  kept  closed  at  all  other  times  to 
protect  the  young  birds  from  the  sun's  heat.  It 
should  be  so  situated  that  the  sun  cannot  shine 
in  when  the  door  is  open. 


NESTING-HOUSES 


21 


Tin  Houses.  —  Quite  a  variety  of  houses  may 
be  made  from  various  kinds  of  tin  receptacles, 
such  as  tomato-cans,  varnish-cans,  coffee-cans, 


OBSERVATION  BOX  OPEN 

etc.,  by  fitting  in  at  one  end  a  circular  piece  of 
wood,  containing  the  entrance  hole.  It  is  well  to 
place  tin  receptacles  where  they  will  be  somewhat 
shaded,  to  prevent  disaster  to  the  young  birds 
from  the  excessive  heating  of  the  metal. 


22  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Gourds.  —  It  is  worth  while  to  buy  a  package 
of  gourd-vine  seeds  and  plant  them  where  they 
may  be  utilized  to  screen  some  unsightly  objects ; 
and  when  the  gourds  are  matured  they  may  be 
hollowed  out  and  put  out  for  nesting-houses, 
which  may  often  attract  the  wren  and  perhaps 
some  others. 

Clay  Houses.  —  In  the  School  of  Education 
of  Chicago  University  the  children  modeled  bird- 
houses  from  clay.  These  were  baked  a  brownish 
color,  and  made  with  concave  backs  to  fit  the  trees, 
to  which  they  were  fastened  by  means  of  wire. 
One  house  was  provided  with  a  movable  concave 
cover  to  catch  the  rain.  The  overflow  from  this 
led  to  a  little  cup  on  the  outside,  and  this  in  turn 
connected  with  a  cup  on  the  inside  which  kept 
the  birds  provided  with  drinking-water. 

There  should  be  only  one  compartment  and 
one  entrance  hole  for  all  birds,  except  the  mar- 
tins, which  are  the  only  ones  to  nest  in  colonies. 
If  two  compartments  are  made,  they  will  seldom, 
if  ever,  both  be  occupied ;  and  they  lead  to  fights, 
and  furnish  an  additional  opportunity  for  the 
sparrow  to  become  troublesome. 

Ventilation.  —  In  addition  to  the  entrance 
hole,  there  should  also  be  some  openings  to  allow 


TWO  VIEWS  OF  A  MARTIN    COLONY 


CLAY   BIRD-HOUSES 


NESTING-HOUSES 


23 


ventilation.  During  the  heat  of  the  day,  espe- 
cially if  the  boxes  are  not  in  the  shade,  the  air 
inside  becomes  very  hot  and  impure,  and  doubt- 
less the  young  must  suffer  considerably  unless 
arrangements  are  made  for  a  change  of  air. 

In  constructing  the  houses  of  boards,  a  narrow 
slit  may  be  left  on  each  side  under  the  roof.  A 
series  of  small  holes  may  be  bored  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  hollow  limbs  or  bark  houses;  nail- 
holes  may  be  made  in  the  tin  receptacles. 

Drainage  Holes.  —  It  is  also  well  to  bore  a 
few  small  holes  somewhere  in  the  bottom  of  the 
boxes  to  allow  any  water  to  drain  out  that  may 
beat  into  the  boxes  during  storms  ;  and,  of  course, 
there  should  be  no  openings  left  on  top  by  which 
the  water  can  enter. 


Movable  Covers.  —  It  is 
very  convenient  to  have  some 
arrangement  by  which  the 
houses  can  be  opened  for  ex- 
amination if  desired.  This  will 
allow  opportunity  for  removing 
the  eggs  of  the  English  spar- 
row, and  for  cleaning  out  the 
box  at  the  end  of  the  season. 
This  may  be  arranged  in  sev- 
eral ways.  The  author  has 


BOX  WITH  SLIDING 
COVER 


24  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

found  it  very  convenient  to  attach  the  roof  by 
means  of  hinges  at  the  back  and  a  little  wire 
clasp  on  the  side  in  front. 

Time  to  put  out.  — The  earlier  the  boxes  are 
put  out,  the  better.  For  some  weeks  before  the 
birds  seem  to  be  ready  to  begin  nesting,  they  are 
undoubtedly  flying  around  searching  for  a  site, 
and  these  houses,  if  placed  early,  may  induce 
some  birds  to  stay,  of  whose  presence  we  might 
not  otherwise  have.had  even  the  least  intimation. 
It  is  also  well  to  have  the  houses  out  early  so 
that  they  may  become  weather-beaten.  Some  birds 
rear  two  broods,  in  which  case  a  house  may  be 
occupied  which  is  not  put  out  until  late  in  the 
season ;  but  it  is  much  better  to  have  the  houses 
out  by  the  time  the  birds  are  beginning  to  re- 
turn. The  boxes  may  also  be  put  out  in  the  late 
fall,  so  that  they,  may  serve  as  a  shelter  for  the 
winter  birds.  The  different  houses  should  not  be 
placed  too  close  together,  as  the  first-comer  is 
apt  to  prevent  the  other  birds  from  nesting  in  the 
houses  near. 

In  case  one  has  an  orchard  near  at  hand,  this 
makes  an  ideal  location  for  placing  the  boxes. 
In  the  yard  the  boxes  may  be  fastened  to  trees, 
posts,  grape-arbors,  or  even  to  the  piazza-posts  or 
side  of  the  house.  It  will  afford  better  protection 


NESTING-HOUSES  25 

from  the  elements  if  the  box  is  put  up  with  the 
entrance  hole  facing  away  from  the  direction 
from  which  the  prevailing  storms  come,  although 
with  the  kind  of  roof  shown  on  page  18,  this 
matter  becomes  of  less  importance. 

Ernest  Thompson  Seton  gives  the  following 
general  suggestions  :  "  As  a  general  principle  I 
find  that  the  birds  like  a  tight  fit.  Small  birds 
will  not  nest  in  a  large  hole.  I  find  it  a  good 
plan,  in  some  cases  an  essential,  to  go  around  in 
the  spring  and  dust  the  nesting-houses  with  pow- 
dered sulphur.  They  become  so  infested  with 
parasites  that  the  birds  cease  to  use  them.  In 
fact  I  believe  it  a  good  plan  to  clean  out  the  old 
nests  completely  every  year.  As  a  practical  de- 
tail, I  have  found  it  worth  while  to  have  each 
nest  with  a  hinge  door  which  would  admit  of 
easy  inspection  without  disturbing  the  inside 
arrangements  ;  and  second,  to  place  none  so 
that  they  cannot  be  reached  by  a  convenient 
ladder." 

The  chief  things  to  be  taken  into  account  in 
adapting  a  house  to  a  particular  bird  are,  —  size 
of  house,  size  of  entrance  hole,  location  of  the 
house,  and  the  kind  of  house  preferred.  The  sec- 
ond point  is  especially  important,  as  the  regula- 
tion of  the  size  of  the  hole  allows  one  to  keep 
out  all  birds  larger  than  the  one  for  which  the 


26  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

house  is  intended.  A  circular  entrance  hole  is  to 
be  preferred. 

Bluebirds.  —  The  boxes  should  be  about 
twelve  by  six  by  six  inches,  fastened  with  the 
longer  axis  vertical.  If  a  hollow  limb  is  used,  a 
diameter  of  five  inches,  or  a  little  less,  will  be 
sufficient.  The  entrance  hole  should  be  one  and 
a  half  inches  in  diameter.  The  two-inch  hole 
often  recommended  is  too  large,  as  martins  and 
blue  jays  may  enter  this.  Occasionally  they  will 
use  a  smaller  hole,  down  to  one  and  a  quarter 
inches,  but  an  inch  and  a  half  is  the  smallest 
hole  to  use  to  make  sure  that  the  houses  will  be 
occupied.  Place  from  eight  to  fifteen  feet  high. 
They  may  be  fastened  to  trees,  posts,  grape- 
arbor,  tops  of  poles,  and  buildings.  Put  out  by 
the  first  of  March  or  sooner. 

In  the  Eastern  States  the  bluebird  is  one  of  the 
most  common  house-tenants.  Mr.  Frank  Bond 
writes  that  in  Cheyenne,  Wyoming,  while  the 
English  sparrows  were  killed  off,  the  mountain 
bluebird  was  among  the  most  common  bird-box 
occupants.  In  Oregon  the  western  bluebird  is  a 
common  tenant. 

Chickadees.  —  The  boxes  should  be  about  ten 
by  four  by  four  inches,  placed  with  the  long  axis 


NESTING-HOUSES  27 

vertical.  The  entrance  hole  may  be  one  and  a 
quarter  to  one  and  an  eighth  inches.  The  smaller 
size  would  be  more  effective  in  keeping  out  the 
English  sparrow.  Place  on  a  tree,  post,  or  even  on 
the  house,  by  a  window ;  from  ten  to  twenty-five 
feet  high.  These  birds  are  permanent  residents, 
and  do  not  begin  to  nest  until  the  middle  of 
May,  but  Mr.  Forbush,  who  has  had  consider- 
able success  with  domesticating  chickadees,  re- 
commends that  the  house  be  put  out  in  the  fall, 
so  as  to  furnish  the  birds  with  shelter  during  the 
winter.  These  are  among  the  easiest  birds  to  at- 
tract during  the  winter  by  providing  food,  and  if 
they  remain  during  the  cold  season  and  use  the 
box  as  a  shelter,  they  will  be  more  likely  to  stay 
and  make  their  nest  here.  Mr.  Forbush  writes : 
"  Success  in  domesticating  the  chickadee  seems  to 
turn  mainly  on  four  conditions :  first,  the  locality 
must  be  well  supplied  with  trees;  second,  the 
English  sparrow  must  be  banished  from  the 
neighborhood  ;  third,  the  chickadees  must  be  ac- 
customed to  remain  about  the  locality  by  provid- 
ing food  for  them  in  winter;  fourth,  the  boxes 
must  be  properly  constructed  and  located." 

Sometimes  the  chickadees  may  be  induced  to 
build  in  partially  decayed  birch-stumps,  by  bor- 
ing one  and  an  eighth  inch  auger  holes  in  the 
sheltered  side.  On  finding  these  holes  begun,  the 


28  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

chickadee  may  finish  the  excavation  and  build  a 
nest  there.  Mr.  Reed  states  that  one  summer  four 
pairs  of  chickadees  found  the  locations  selected 
by  him  satisfactory  and  reared  their  families. 

In  the  Eastern  States  the  black-capped  chicka- 
dee nests  occasionally  in  boxes,  but  is  not  a  com- 
mon occupant.  On  the  Pacific  coast  the  Oregon 
chickadee  uses  boxes,  and  from  the  reports  re- 
ceived, apparently  more  commonly  than  the 
black-capped  does  in  the  East. 

Carolina  Chickadee.  —  The  only  reference 
the  author  finds  to  this  bird  is  in  "  Bird-Lore," 
by  Mr.  Robert  Ridgway  of  the  National  Museum, 
who  writes :  "  Each  spring  a  pair  of  Carolina 
chickadees  build  their  nest  in  one  of  our  bird- 
houses,  and  have  begun  incubation  by  the  time 
the  house  wrens  arrive,  but  that  is  as  far  as  the 
poor  chickadees  ever  get,  for  the  wrens  immedi- 
ately oust  them  and  destroy  their  eggs." 

Wood  Duck.  —  This  beautiful  bird  is  rapidly 
decreasing  and  seems  in  a  fair  way  to  extinction, 
unless  some  very  unusual  efforts  are  made  in  its 
behalf.  It  nests  in  a  hole  in  a  tree  or  stump,  and 
has  been  known  to  nest  in  houses  provided  for  it. 
Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher,  of  the  Bureau  of  Biological 
Survey,  writes:  "Almost  any  box  or  keg  of 


NESTING-HOUSES  29 

proper  size  is  a  suitable  nesting-place  for  the 
wood  duck.  A  good,  stout  nail-keg  with  the  head 
replaced,  or  a  box  a  foot  square  and  ten  inches 
high,  made  of  three-quarter-inch  stuff,  will  be  large 
enough.  The  oval  entrance  on  the  side  should 
be  six  inches  long  by  four  inches  wide.  I  know 
of  a  number  of  instances 
where  wood  ducks  have 
nested  in  places  pre- 
pared for  them."  Ernest 
Thompson  Seton  writes : 
"  Wood  ducks  do  not 
seem  to  desire  being 
very  near  water.  Wood 
ducks  and  whistlers  like 
a  drop  of  a  foot  or  two 
from  the  entrance  hole 
to  the  nest-level.  They 
will  not  use  a  box  in  WOQD  DUCK  HQugE 
which  they  can  be  seen 

while  setting."  The  cut  shows  a  box  suggested 
by  Dr.  Fisher. 

House  Finch.  —  Mr.  Frank  Bond  writes  that 
when  living  in  Cheyenne,  Wyoming,  the  house 
finch  was  amongst  the  most  common  bird-box 
occupants,  when  the  English  sparrows  were  killed 
off. 


30  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Dr.  W.  H.  Bergtold  of  Denver  writes  that  the 
house  finch  is  very  abundant  in  Colorado  cities 
and  villages,  and  takes  advantage  of  any  box, 
shelf,  etc.,  about  a  house,  to  build  its  nest. 

Flicker.  —  The  author  has  been  able  to  secure 
but  two  definite  records  of  the  flicker  using  a  nest- 
ing-box. One  is  furnished  by  William  Brewster, 
who  writes :  "  In  the  spring  of  1899  a  pair  of 
flickers  lived  in  an  imitation  stub  that  I  put  up 
for  them  in  the  garden  here.  It  was  simply  a 
long,  narrow  rectangular  box,  made  of  boards 
covered  outwardly  with  spruce  bark  and  having 
an  entrance  hole  of  suitable  size  (three  and  a 
half  inches  diameter)  bored  in  one  side  near  the 
upper  end.  Eight  eggs  were  laid,  but  none  oi 
them  hatched,  although  the  birds  brooded  them 
for  nearly  six  weeks.  Last  spring  (1908)  I  put 
up  a  box  of  similar  construction  in  an  orchard  at 
Concord,  Mass.  Although  the  flickers  did  not 
build  in  it,  they  must  have  frequented  it  more  or 
less  as  a  sleeping-place,  for  when  I  examined  it 
this  autumn,  I  found  their  feathers  clinging  to 
the  wood  about  the  entrance  hole." 

Under  date  of  May  24, 1910,  Mr.  F.  C.  Pellett 
writes  that  a  pair  of  flickers  is  occupying  one  of 
his  houses,  in  which  seven  eggs  have  been  laid. 

Instances  have  been  reported  in  which  flickers 


NESTING-HOUSES  31 

have  enlarged  the  holes  to  bluebird  boxes  so  that 
they  could  get  in,  but  the  boxes  were  too  small 
to  nest  in. 

In  Burns's  monograph  on  the  flicker  are  given 
the  following  figures  regarding  the  inside  dimen- 
sions of  flickers'  nests,  the  data  being  gathered 
from  various  sections  of  the  United  States :  — 

Minimum.  Maximum.  Average. 

Diameter  of  entrance                      2.20  5.00              3.28 

Diameter  of  cavity  near  bottom   4.50  10.00.              7.67 

Depth  of  cavity  from  entrance      6.00  36.00            15.79 

Total  length  of  cavity                    9.00  40.00            18.50 

The  figures  given  in  the  average  column  will 
Suggest  the  dimensions  of  a  nesting-box  for  the 
flicker. 

Crested  Flycatcher.  —  The  author  has  found 
five  records  of  the  nesting  of  the  crested  fly- 
catcher in  boxes.  One  pair  nested  in  the  hollow 
limb  described  on  page  44,  after  it  had  been  left 
by  the  titmice.  It  was  also  used  the  following 
season  by  the  flycatchers.  In  two  other  cases 
these  birds  nested  in  one  of  the  compartments  of 
a  martin-house. 

Mrs.  G.  K.  Holmes,  of  Summit,  New  Jersey, 
reports  a  pair  nesting  in  a  box  in  the  spring  of 
1908.  "It  was  a  little  house  of  about  six  and  one 
half  by  eight  and  one  half  inches,  with  an  opening 


32  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

two  and  one  eighth  inches  across,  and  was  old 
enough  and  time-colored  enough  to  please  any 
bird  visitors."  It  was  placed  in  the  crotch  of  a 
dead  peach  tree  nine  feet  from  the  ground.  It 
was  about  ten  feet  from  the  house  and  near  a 
path  in  constant  use.  Two  young  birds  were  suc- 
cessfully reared. 

Sparrow  Hawk.  —  In  the  spring  of  1910  a 
pair  of  sparrow  hawks  occupied  one  of  Mr.  Pel- 
lett's  nesting-boxes,  in  which,  at  the  time  of  the 
last  report  received  by  the  author,  five  eggs  had 
been  laid. 

Purple  Martin.  —  The  purple  martin  is  com- 
mon in  the  South,  where  gourds  and  boxes  are 
put  out  for  its  use.  In  the  North,  however,  it  is 
rather  rare  and  very  local  in  its  distribution,  and 
has  been  decreasing  for  quite  a  number  of  years, 
partly  on  account  of  unfavorable  seasons,  but 
chiefly,  it  is  probable,  on  account  of  the  English 
sparrows.  One  of  the  chief  causes  for  the  disap- 
pearance of  the  martin  from  many  localities,  was 
the  cold,  wet  June  of  1903.  The  birds  found  it 
impossible  to  secure  food  for  their  young,  so  that 
many  nestlings,  as  well  as  adults,  perished.  Be- 
fore that  year,  however,  the  martin  had  been 
decreasing  on  account  of  the  persecutions  of  the 


NESTING-HOUSES  33 

English  sparrow.  In  the  following  spring  many 
of  the  houses  were  visited  by  the  martins,  but 
few  occupied.  In  some  cases  failure  to  reoccupy 
the  houses  may  have  been  due  to  the  fact  that 
they  had  not  been  cleaned,  but  still  contained 
the  remains  of  the  birds  which  had  died  the  pre- 
vious year.  Several  observers  reported  that  the 
houses  which  had  been  cleaned  were  occupied  by 
the  martins,  while  those  which  had  not  been 
cleaned  were  not  used.  It  seems  to  be  a  precau- 
tion worth  noting  to  clean  the  houses  each  year 
before  the  migrants  return. 

As  the  result  of  extensive  correspondence,  Mr. 
Forbush  could  find  authentic  records  of  the 
breeding  of  the  purple  martin  in  only  five  local- 
ities in  Massachusetts  during  the  season  of  1904. 
During  the  season  of  1908  Mr.  Horton  was  able 
to  find  records  of  only  one  colony  breeding  in 
the  eastern  part  of  Vermont,  that  at  Lyndon- 
ville.  For  the  same  season,  Mr.  Forbush  writes : 
"  Martins  are  still  very  plentiful  in  Eastern 
Maine,  where  the  bad  weather  of  1903-04  hardly 
made  itself  felt  at  all.  Also  there  are  a  good 
many  in  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island,  and 
quite  a  few  in  New  Hampshire." 

The  martins  are  valuable  birds  from  the  eco- 
nomic standpoint,  and  it  is  well  worth  while  to 
make  efforts  to  induce  them  to  return  to  the 


34  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

localities  where  they  formerly  nested.  They  have 
the  habit  of  returning  to  the  same  houses,  year 
after  year,  both  old  and  young,  till  their  num- 
bers compel  them  to  seek  quarters  elsewhere. 
Thus  there  is  the  best  opportunity  for  establish- 
ing a  new  colony  in  the  vicinity  of  other  colonies, 
the  overflow  of  which  is  compelled  to  seek  else- 
where for  a  nesting-site. 

Attempts  to  reestablish  Martins.  —  Various 
attempts  have  been  made  to  establish  new  colonies 
at  a  long  distance  from  breeding  colonies.  The 
general  plan  pursued  is  to  raise  young  birds  in  the 
locality  where  it  is  desired  to  establish  a  colony, 
with  the  hope  that  in  the  following  spring  these 
birds  will  return  to  their  new  home  and  breed 
there. 

In  the  spring  of  1907  eggs  were  sent  by  J.  W. 
Jacobs  of  Pennsylvania  to  W.  C.  Horton,  Brat- 
tleboro,  Vermont,  where  they  were  placed  in  the 
nest  of  a  tree  swallow  which  had  taken  possession 
of  a  deserted  martin's  house.  The  eggs  hatched 
and  the  young  were  fed  by  the  parent  swallows 
for  two  weeks,  at  which  time  all  the  young  were 
killed  by  some  unknown  cause.  The  following 
year  (1908)  two  pairs  of  martins  which  had 
begun  to  nest  were  sent  to  the  same  locality, 
where  they  were  placed  in  the  house  which  had 


NESTING-HOUSES  35 

been  arranged  for  them,  but  tbe  birds  deserted  it 
immediately,  and  nothing  more  was  seen  of  them 
till  about  six  weeks  later,  when  a  single  male, 
which  may  have  been  one  of  these,  was  seen  in 
a  neighboring  town. 

For  several  years  eggs  were  sent  to  Charles 
H.  Kingsbury,  Barnard,  New  York,  and  placed  in 
the  nest  of  barn  swallows.  In  nearly  every  in- 
stance the  eggs  hatched,  but  some  accident  befell 
the  young  birds.  In  1907  six  young  birds  were 
sent  to  the  same  locality  and  were  raised  by 
hand.  Three  of  these  were  successfully  raised 
and  liberated.  Mr.  Kingsbury  stated  it  was  won- 
derful the  number  of  insects  these  youngsters 
devoured ;  one  of  his  farm-hands  spent  his  entire 
time  in  attending  to  their  wants. 

In  the  spring  of  1908  martins'  eggs  were  sent 
by  Mr.  Jacobs  to  Mr.  Daniel  C.  Robinson,  Man- 
chester, Maine,  who  placed  them  in  the  nest  of 
a  phoebe.  The  bird  continued  to  sit  upon  the 
eggs,  but  they  had  been  injured  so  that  they 
never  hatched. 

Mr.  Robinson  also  tried  another  experiment  the 
same  season.  A  house  full  of  martins,  both  old 
and  young,  was  brought  by  night  from  a  neigh- 
boring locality  and  set  up  on  a  pole  in  his  yard. 
The  old  birds  deserted  the  house,  and  so  the 
young  were  fed  by  hand  on  grasshoppers,  a  mix- 


36  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

ture  of  bread-crumbs  and  hard-boiled  eggs,  and 
some  prepared  food  for  soft-billed  birds,  fur- 
nished by  a  bird-dealer.  In  this  way  a  few  birds 
were  successfully  reared. 

The  following  account  of  another  experiment 
along  this  line  is  taken  from  Circular  No.  56  by 
H.  W.  Henshaw  of  the  Bureau  of  Biological 
Survey :  — 

"In  the  Zoological  Gardens  of  Philadelphia, 
in  1889,  Mr.  Robert  D.  Carson,  by  means  of  a 
trap-house,  secured  a  colony  of  nine  pairs  with 
thirty-two  young  from  the  grounds  of  Mr.  Josiah 
Hooper  of  West  Chester,  transporting  them  the 
distance  of  about  twenty  miles  by  train  at  night. 
When  released  next  morning  the  old  birds  de- 
serted the  young  and  returned  to  West  Chester, 
The  temptation  of  the  old  home  so  close  by 
proved  too  strong  even  for  parental  affection. 
Most  of  the  young,  however,  were  successfully 
raised  by  hand-feeding,  being  fed  chiefly  cock- 
roaches, grasshoppers,  crickets,  meal-worms,  and 
prepared  food.  This  is  a  mixture  intended  for 
insectivorous  birds,  and  according  to  Mr.  Carson 
•was  well  liked  by  the  nestlings  and  agreed  well 
•with  them.  It  consists  of  ground  and  dried  beef- 
heart,  mawmeal,  ground  zwieback,  boiled  and 
mashed  white  potatoes,  grated  raw  carrot,  and 
grated  hard-boiled  eggs.  Probably  any  similar 


NESTING-HOUSES  37 

mixture  would  answer  equally  well.  A  small  col- 
ony resulted  from  this  experiment,  which  would 
probably  have  proved  permanent  but  for  the  fact 
that  additional  houses  were  put  up  in  West  Ches- 
ter, and  after  two  years  the  colony  deserted  the 
old  neighborhood.  Though  only  temporary  suc- 
cess was  achieved,  the  experiment  is  encouraging 
and  points  the  way  to  ultimate  success.  For  the 
above  facts  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Charles  J.  Pen- 
nock  of  Kennett  Square,  Pennsylvania. 

"  As  the  young  can  be  raised  by  hand  without 
serious  difficulty,  it  may  be  easier  to  start  the 
new  colony  with  nestlings  alone,  feeding  them  on 
meal-worms,  grasshoppers,  and  the  like.  Six  or 
eight  pairs  can  well  be  spared  from  a  strong  col- 
ony without  unduly  weakening  it.  This  method 
promises  well,  and  if  the  experiment  can  be  tried 
from  year  to  year,  even  on  a  small  scale,  a  grad- 
ual increase  in  the  number  of  martin  colonies  is 
likely  to  result  and  new  centres  of  distributions 
to  be  formed." 

Martin-houses.  —  The  martins  prefer  to  nest 
in  colonies,  so  that  houses  should  be  provided 
which  contain  a  number  of  compartments.  Each 
dimension  of  a  single  room  should  be  about  six 
or  seven  inches.  The  entrance  hole  may  be  either 
square  or  circular,  and  should  be  about  two  and 


38  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

a  half  inches  across.  The  best  height  for  erect- 
ing the  house  is  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet,  al- 
though houses  placed  much  higher  may  be  used, 
cases  being  recorded  in  which  houses  placed  as 
high  as  fifty  feet  were  occupied.  To  prevent  the 
English  sparrow  from  getting  established  early  in 
the  season,  it  is  well  to  keep  the  holes  covered 
till  the  return  of  the  martins,  or  to  arrange  the 
house  so  that  it  can  be  taken  down  in  the  fall 
and  put  up  again  in  the  spring. 

Barrel  House.  —  The  following  suggestions 
for  making  a  martin-house  are  taken  from  Ed- 
ward H.  Forbush's  "Useful  Birds  and  Their 
Protection  " :  — 

"  A  house  for  a  large  martin  colony  ordinarily 
involves  the  expenditure  of  a  considerable  sum ; 
but  a  very  good  house,  that  will  accommodate  a 
colony  of  ordinary  size,  may  be  made  from  a  flour 
barrel.  The  roof  is  of  zinc,  or  of  wood  covered 
with  painted  canvas.  The  martin-house  should  be 
placed  on  a  pole  at  least  fifteen  to  twenty  feet 
high.  It  should  have  several  large  rooms,  with 
entrances  two  to  three  inches  in  diameter,  that  it 
may  provide  room  enough  for  several  pairs  of 
birds,  and  that  each  tenement  may  be  readily  in- 
spected and  cleaned  when  necessary,  and  the 
whole  house  should  be  painted  in  light  colors, 


NESTING-HOUSES 


39 


that  the  young  birds  may  not  suffer  too  much 
from  the  rays  of  the  hot  sun.  It  should  be  so 
constructed  that  the  young  birds  may  not  be 
readily  crowded  out  of  the  nest,  and  so  become 
the  prey  of  cats.  Such  a  catastrophe  may  be 
guarded  against  by  having  a  shelf  or  piazza  ex- 
tending round  the  house  be- 
neath each  tier  of  doorways, 
and  constructing  a  railing 
at  least  three  inches  high 
around  the  platform.  Each 
of  these  platforms  should 
have  a  slight  downward  pitch, 
to  carry  off  the  rain  and  pre- 
vent it  from  driving  into 
the  doorways  below.  There 
should  be  no  brackets  be- 
neath the  box,  for  they  afford 
the  cat  a  foothold.  Many 
other  designs  will  suggest 
themselves.  A  barrel  might 
be  covered  and  roofed  with  bark  and  the  railings 
made  of  twigs.  In  fitting  up  the  rooms,  a  square 
box  should  first  be  made  to  go  up  the  centre  of 
the  barrel.  All  the  rooms  will  be  backed  by  this, 
and  the  pole  will  go  into  it.  Rooms  may  be  fitted 
into  the  barrel  by  merely  fastening  cigar  or  other 
boxes  back  of  each  hole.  The  pole  may  be  made 


BARREL  HOUSE  FOR 

MARTINS 
(Designed  by  E.  H.  Forbush) 


40  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

to  go  into  a  socket  in  the  ground,  and  then  both 
pole  and  house  may  be  taken  down  in  the  fall  and 
kept  under  shelter  until  the  martins  return  in  the 
spring  j  or,  if  the  pole  is  hinged  near  the  bottom, 
the  box  may  be  still  more  readily  taken  indoors. 
This  will  prevent  the  sparrows  from  intrenching 
themselves  within.  If  a  cedar  pole  is  used,  the 
bottom  should  be  well  tarred  wherever  it  comes 
in  contact  with  the  ground.  It  should  be  set 
deep  in  the  ground  to  give  it  the  requisite  firm- 
ness. If  the  nests  of  martins  are  dusted  occasion- 
ally with  fresh  insect  powder,  it  will  relieve  them 
of  the  vermin  which  always  congregate  in  large 
occupied  bird-houses." 

Screech  Owl.  —  Only  one  record  has  come  to 
the  author's  notice  of  the  nesting  of  the  screech 
owl  in  artificial  boxes, — that  by  Mr.  E.  H.  For- 
bush,  in  "  Useful  Birds  and  Their  Protection." 
"  A  box  of  12  inches  square  and  15  inches  high 
is  probably  none  too  large  for  the  screech  owl, 
as  three  or  four  young  birds  soon  render  the 
nest  very  filthy,  and  on  this  account  require 
extra  room.  Nevertheless  a  pair  of  screech  owls, 
at  our  home  in  Wareham,  reared  a  brood  of  four 
young  in  the  grocery  box  shown  in  the  illustration. 
Allowing  the  birds  to  be  the  best  judges  of  what 
they  want,  the  dimensions  of  this  box,  seven  by 


MR.  FORBUSH'S  SCREECH  OWL  IN  NESTING-BOX 


NESTING-HOUSES  41 

eleven  by  fifteen  inches,  and  size  of  entrance 
hole,  three  by  four,  may  be  useful  to  those  who 
wish  to  attract  this  bird." 

The  following  very  interesting  note  concern- 
ing the  value  of  this  bird  in  keeping  in  check 
the  English  sparrow,  comes  from  Pennsylvania : 
"In  West  Chester,  a  town  of  11,000  people, 
there  are  dozens  of  little  red  and  gray  screech 
owls  hiding  in  the  old  dead  trees  in  the  daytime 
and  at  night  sallying  forth  to  make  a  meal  on 
the  English  sparrow.  They  are  making  their 
mark,  too,  for  the  sparrows  are  becoming  less 
abundant  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  the  peo- 
ple have  come  to  a  realization  of  the  good  the 
owls  do,  and  are  giving  them  protection." 

Rolin. — In  the  fall  of  1907  the  author  gath- 
ered statistics  from  the  school  children  of  Pas- 
saic,  N.  J.,  relative  to  their  experiences  with  bird 
boxes  during  the  spring  and  summer,  special 
effort  having  been  made  during  the  previous 
winter  to  interest  the  children  in  birds  and  the 
construction  of  bird  houses.  Five  cases  were  re- 
ported in  which  the  robins  began  to  nest  in  these 
houses  and  one  in  which  they  successfully  reared 
their  young.  The  author  took  special  pains  to 
investigate  these  cases  as  thoroughly  as  could  be 
done  in  the  fall,  and  was  convinced  that  in  two 


42  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

instances  the  reports  were  correct,  one  being  the 
case  in  which  the  young  had  been  successfully 
reared.  Medium-sized  soap-boxes  had  been  used, 
with  holes  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter. 
While  the  natural  nesting-sites  of  the  robin 
would  not  suggest  that  it  might  select  such 
a  closed  box,  yet  the  friendly  way  in  which  it 
has  domiciled  itself  in  all  sorts  of  locations 
around  buildings  renders  the  above  instances 
not  at  all  improbable.  Undoubtedly,  however, 
the  robin  will  be  attracted  more  by  platforms 
and  open  boxes  as  suggested  further  on  in  the 
chapter. 

Starling.  —  Several  instances  have  come  to  the 
author's  notice  where  the  starling  has  nested  in 
houses  and  kegs.  There  is  little  doubt  that  these 
birds  can  be  induced  to  nest  in  houses  if  we  wish 
to  have  them.  As  yet,  however,  the  bird  is  of  so 
comparatively  limited  a  range,  and  its  habits  are 
so  little  known,  that  we  do  not  yet  know  whether 
it  is  to  prove  a  beneficial  species,  whose  presence 
is  to  be  encouraged,  or  another  nuisance  like  the 
English  sparrow,  only  a  larger  one.  The  reports 
from  different  observers  so  far  are  conflicting; 
but  judging  from  the  majority  of  reports  re- 
ceived and  from  the  fact  that  it  seeks  hollow 
trees  and  other  cavities  for  its  nesting-site,  it 


NESTING-HOUSES  43 

seems  probable  that  as  it  increases  it  will  help 
drive  away  some  of  our  more  valuable  native 
birds  and  become  eventually  a  pest  like  the  Eng- 
lish sparrow.  On  the  whole,  probably  it  is  not 
worth  while  to  make  any  attempts  to  attract  this 
bird  to  our  nesting-houses,  for  the  present,  at 
least,  till  more  is  known  about  its  habits  and 
value. 

Tree  Swallows. — The  tree  swallow  is  a  not 
uncommon  house-tenant  in  some  sections  of  the 
East.  The  boxes  should  be  about  twelve  by  six  by 
six  inches,  fastened  with  the  longer  axis  vertical. 
The  entrance  hole  should  be  one  and  one  half 
inches  in  diameter.  The  boxes  may  be  fastened 
to  trees,  poles,  or  buildings.  Place  from  eight  to 
twenty  feet  high.  They  should  be  put  out  just 
as  soon  as  the  birds  return  in  the  spring.  In 
some  instances  these  birds  have  been  reported 
as  nesting  in  martin-houses  which  had  not  been 
occupied  by  the  martins. 

Violet-green  Swallow.  —  This  is  one  of  the 
commonest  house-tenants  in  Oregon.  Supt.  L.  R. 
Alderman  of  Eugene,  Oregon,  writes  :  "  We  have 
found  that  the  violet-green  swallow  is  eager  to 
inhabit  any  house  that  is  out  of  the  reach  of  cats, 
and  is  firmly  attached  to  any  building,  if  it  is 


44  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

placed  on  the  east  or  north  side.  We  have  had 
the  best  luck,  however,  with  a  house  made  from  a 
round  trunk  of  a  tree.  Take  a  trunk,  say  8  inches 
through  and  12  inches  long ;  saw  off  from  one 
end  a  piece  2  inches  long,  with  brace  and  bit  dig 
out  an  opening  8  inches  long  and  6  inches  wide. 
Then  nail  on  the  end  sawed  off.  Make  a  suitable 
ventilation  at  top ;  bore  entrance  1  inch  in  size 
near  upper  end  of  cavity.  Make  perch  of  twigs." 
Dr.  E.  J.  Welty  of  Portland,  Oregon,  writes: 
"  The  violet-green  is  very  partial  to  boxes ;  he 
likes  his  nailed  up  in  a  safe  place  on  the  side  of 
the  house  or  under  the  eaves." 

Tufted  Titmouse.  — The  author  has  found 
but  one  record  of  this  bird  nesting  in  a  house ; 
this  record  is  given  by  Mr.  Earnest  Seeman,  of 
North  Carolina,  in  "Bird-Lore":  — 

"  A  hollow  section  of  dogwood,  over  a  yard  in 
length,  and  with  an  inside  diameter  of  5  inches, 
was  strapped  to  the  trunk  of  an  orchard  tree. 
The  lower  end  was  simply  plugged  with  a  few 
old  chips  and  sticks,  while  a  small  board  tacked 
over  the  top  served  to  keep  out  the  rain  and  sun. 
An  irregular  opening  was  cut  inside  the  log, 
measuring  about  four  by  two  and  a  half  inches. 
A  pair  of  tufted  titmice  were  the  first  occupants. 
They  reared  a  family  of  five." 


NESTING-HOUSES  43 

Bed-headed  Woodpecker.  —  Mr.  F.  C.  Pellett 
of  Iowa  reports  that  a  pair  of  red-headed  wood- 
peckers occupied  a  house  which  he  had  set  up. 
The  box  was  made  of  an  old  rabbit-trap  and 
placed  about  fifteen  feet  high  in  the  edge  of  a 
grove.  This  was  first  occupied  by  a  pair  of  blue- 
birds, but  these  were  driven  out  by  a  pair  of  red- 
heads after  they  had  enlarged  the  hole  so  they 
could  enter.  They  remained  about  the  house  all 
summer ;  but  Mr.  Pellett  saw  no  indications  of 
young  birds,  and  not  wishing  to  disturb  the 
birds,  he  did  not  attempt  to  look  into  the  box. 

House  Wren. — The  boxes  should  be  about 
seven  by  five  by  five  inches,  placed  with  the  long 
axis  horizontal.  This  position  is  preferable  on 
account  of  the  habit  the  birds  have  of  filling  the 
fore  part  of  the  house  full  to  the  hole  with  sticks, 
and  leaving  a  hollow  in  the  rear  for  the  eggs  and 
young.  These  little  houses  may  be  made  quite 
ornamental  by  putting  on  a  roof  and  staining  the 
•whole  house  green  or  brown.  The  entrance  hole 
should  be  one  inch  in  diameter,  placed  in  the 
upper  half.  The  size  of  the  hole  is  important,  as 
this  size  keeps  out  the  English  sparrow.  The 
wrens  like  to  nest  very  near  the  ground  —  from 
six  to  eight  feet.  Put  out  by  the  middle  of  April 
or  earlier. 


46  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

The  author  has  been  very  successful  with  house 
wrens  by  using  an  old  tomato-can.  An  empty 
can  was  placed  upon  a  hot  stove,  with  the  cut 
end  down,  till  the  solder  melted,  and  then  the 
rest  of  the  cover  was  knocked  off  with  a  poker. 
A  circular  piece  of  wood  from  a  half-inch  board 
was  cut  out  so  as  to  fit  into  the  can.  A  one-inch 
hole  was  bored  into  the  circle  a  little  above  the 
centre,  and  then  the  board  was  fastened  in  place 
by  driving  tacks  through  the  tin.  Nails  were 
driven  obliquely  through  the  rear  of  the  can  into 
a  strip  of  wood,  by  means  of  which  the  house 
was  fastened  in  the  desired  position ;  or  the 
can  may  be  suspended  by  means  of  wire  placed 
around  it.  In  one  can  of  this  sort,  made  by  the 
author,  there  were  successfully  reared,  in  four  suc- 
cessive seasons,  five  broods  of  house  wrens,  mak- 
ing a  total  of  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  young 
birds.  The  wrens  seem  to  be  not  at  all  particular 
as  to  what  they  use,  as  long  as  there  is  a  hole 
by  which  to  enter  and  a  place  for  building  the 
nest.  A  large  funnel  may  be  fastened  up  to  a 
board. 

The  house  wren  is  one  of  the  common  house- 
tenants,  and  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  can  enter 
a  smaller  hole  than  the  English  sparrow,  there  is  a 
better  opportunity  of  protecting  it  from  the  per- 
secutions of  this  pest  than  there  is  of  protecting 


NESTING-HOUSES  47 

some  of  our  larger  birds,  such  as  the  bluebird,  the 
swallow,  and  the  martin. 

Par  Oman's  Wren.  —  On  the  Western  coast  the 
place  of  the  house  wren  is  taken  by  Parkman's 
wren,  which  is  a  common  bird-house  occupant. 
Dr.  Welty  writes  that  these  wrens  require  an 
entrance  hole  quite  large  enough  for  the  English 
sparrow  to  enter  easily. 

Vigors' 's  Wren.  —  Vigors's  wren  also  nests  in 
bird-houses  in  Oregon,  but  is  smaller  than  the  pre- 
ceding species,  so  that  the  hole  may  be  made  small 
enough  to  keep  out  the  sparrows. 

Bewick's  Wren.  —  Two  observers  have  fur- 
nished data  regarding  this  bird.  Mr.  0.  Widmann 
of  St.  Louis  writes :  "  Bewick's  wrens  have  made 
nests  and  laid  eggs  in  my  boxes  at  Old  Orchard, 
Mo.  (a  suburb  of  St.  Louis),  in  two  years,  both 
broods  being  unsuccessful.  As  the  Bewick's  wren 
comes  to  us  about  the  middle  of  March,  a  month 
earlier  than  the  house  wren,  it  had  already  laid 
eggs  when  the  latter  appeared  on  the  scene  and 
wanted  possession  of  the  box.  There  was  some 
quarreling  going  on  for  a  few  days,  after  which 
the  Bewicks  left  the  place  entirely." 

Mr.  W.  G.  Savage,  of  Monteer,  Mo.,  writes: 


48  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

"The  Bewick's  wrens  will  place  their  nest  in 
many  kinds  of  places,  and  it  is  very  easy  to  get 
them  to  breed  near  the  house,  or  if  they  can  get 
in,  they  will  build  in  the  house.  Quart  tin  cans 
tacked  up  in  some  out-building  where  they  can 
get  in  are  very  agreeable  to  them,  and  they  will 
place  their  nest  therein  and  be  perfectly  at  home. 
I  have  one  in  my  barn  where  they  rear  two  broods 
each  year  when  not  molested.  They  will  use 
any  kind  of  a  bird-house  placed  in  almost  any 
location,  excepting  too  high  up.  They  are  very 
easily  suited,  and  all  they  need  is  a  little  protec- 
tion." 

Mr.  Harry  C.  Oberholser  writes  that  in  the  West 
the  Texas  Bewick's  wren  readily  adopts  artificial 
houses. 

The  author  has  been  able  to  find  no  other 
records  of  birds  using  artificial  houses  than  those 
previously  discussed,  but  a  fewgeneral  suggestions 
are  given  for  houses  to  attract  some  other  birds, 
which  it  would  seem  might  eventually  be  induced 
to  occupy  them. 

Woodpeckers. —  The  author  has  not  been  able 
to  find  any  records  in  this  country  of  nesting- 
houses  being  occupied  by  woodpeckers,  excepting 
the  flicker  and  the  red-headed  woodpecker,  al- 
though these  are  the  birds  par  excellence  of  hoi- 


NESTING-HOUSES  49 

low  excavations.  In  looking  over  a  German  pub- 
lication on  methods  of  attracting  birds,  the  author 
finds  that  woodpeckers  are  very  common  occu- 
pants of  artificial  nesting-houses  in  Germany,  and 
a  description  of  the  houses  used  there  may  give 
the  clue  which  will  lead  to  success  in  this  country. 

Experiments  in  Germany.  —  Baron  von  Ber- 
lepsch  in  Germany  has  made  a  life-study  of  wood- 
peckers' nests,  collecting  hundreds  of  them,  and 
he  finds  that  they  all  agree  in  certain  features, 
namely :  the  opening  is  always  circular  and  of 
unvarying  size  for  each  species;  the  entrance 
holes  all  incline  upwards  at  a  certain  angle,  to 
prevent  the  rain  from  coming  in ;  the  lower  por- 
tion of  the  nesting-cavity  is  enlarged  in  a  gourd 
shape,  and  ends  in  a  pointed  trough  at  the  bot- 
tom ;  the  inner  walls  are  roughened  somewhat  to 
allow  the  birds  to  cling  to  them  more  easily;  and 
in  the  extreme  point  of  the  nest  are  a  few  fine 
shavings. 

Baron  von  Berlepsch  has  constructed  a  nesting- 
house  embodying  all  these  features.  The  results 
following  the  use  of  this  house  are  very  remark- 
able. Of  five  thousand  boxes  hung  up  by  Baron 
von  Berlepsch  in  his  own  woods,  and  of  about 
ten  thousand  hung  up  in  other  localities  by  state 
authorities,  ninety  per  cent  or  over  were  occupied. 


50  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

And  this  was  true  in  some  localities  where  unsuc- 
cessful experiments  had  been  tried,  in  previous 
years,  with  other  kinds  of  nesting-houses.  These 
houses  are  being  made  and  sold  in  large  quanti- 
ties by  a  German  manufacturer,  and  in  one  case 
are  being  made  and  used  on  a  large  scale  by  Ger- 
man state  authorities. 

Maurice  Thompson  is  authority  for  the  state- 
ment that  all  of  our  woodpeckers,  except  the 
ivory-billed,  construct  their  nests  in  the  form 
of  a  gourd  or  gradually  widening  pocket.  This 
is  similar  to  the  shape  of  the  nests  of  European 
woodpeckers  as  found  by  Baron  von  Berlepsch. 
The  houses  constructed  in  this  country  have 
usually  been  made  with  flat  bottoms,  and  so  have 
been  occupied  by  birds  which  construct  a  nest, 
and  have  not  been  adapted  to  the  use  of  wood- 
peckers, which  make  no  nest  and  have  the  bot- 
tom of  the  cavity  so  formed  that  the  eggs  will  be 
kept  together.  So  many  birds  use  deserted  wood- 
peckers' holes,  that  it  may  be  worth  while  to 
construct  our  houses  of  this  shape  even  when 
they  are  intended  for  other  birds  than  wood- 
peckers. This  shape  of  nesting-site  is  especially 
adapted  for  the  flickers,  which  usually  incubate  by 
squatting  on  their  eggs  in  an  upright  position. 
Perhaps  other  woodpeckers  may  have  the  same 
habit.  One  correspondent  suggests  that  cement 


NESTING-HOUSES  51 

•r  mortar  may  be  modeled  in  the  shape  of  the 
nest  and  placed  on  the  floor  of  the  house. 

Houses  made  after  the  model  of  those  used 
in  Germany  would  certainly  give  much  promise 
of  success.  They  should  be  made  of  sections  of 
limbs  or  small  tree-trunks.  These  may  be  easily 
split  and  the  inside  hollowed  out  in  the  proper 
shape,  and  then  the  pieces  fastened  together 
again.  The  size  of  the  cavity  and  the  entrance 
hole  must  depend  upon  the  species  for  which  the 
box  is  intended,  the  hole  varying  from  an  inch 
and  a  quarter  for  the  downy  to  three  and  a  quarter 
inches  for  the  flicker.  The  largest  internal  dia- 
meter of  the  cavity  just  before  it  begins  to  taper 
toward  the  bottom  should  be  from  two  and  a  half 
to  three  times  the  diameter  of  the  entrance  hole. 

To  furnish  the  slight  amount  of  material  found 
in  the  woodpecker's  nest  for  the  eggs  to  rest  on, 
there  may  be  placed  in  the  bottom  a  little  of  a 
mixture  of  earth  and  sawdust,  the  amount  depend- 
ing on  the  size  of  the  box.  To  prevent  rain  from 
beating  into  the  box,  it  should  be  fastened  verti- 
cally, or  with  the  upper  end  leaning  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  opening,  and  the  opening  should  face 
away  from  the  direction  of  the  prevailing  storms. 

Nuthatches. —  The  nuthatches  become  so  tame 
during  the  winter  while  seeking  food  that  may  be 


52  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

placed  out  for  them,  that  it  would  seem  that  they 
might  be  induced  to  remain  and  nest.  In  order  to 
make  the  house  as  attractive  as  possible,  one  will 
probably  stand  a  better  chance  of  success  if 
hollow  limbs  or  bark  houses  are  used,  a  foot  or 
more  in  length  and  five  to  six  inches  in  diameter, 
with  an  entrance  hole  of  about  one  and  a  half 
inches  for  the  white-breasted  and  one  inch  for 
the  red-breasted.  To  find  the  most  attractive  lo- 
cation, the  house  may  be  attached  to  a  tree  in  an 
orchard  or  woods.  The  best  way  to  attract  these 
birds,  and  also  woodpeckers,  is  to  leave  standing 
old  trees  which  have  hollows  in  them  suitable  for 
nesting-sites.  Mr.  Forbush  writes  that  a  pair  of 
mated  red-breasts  at  his  house  were  looking  for 
a  nest  in  the  house,  and  the  female  crept  into  a 
partly  raised  window  upstairs  and  fluttered  herself 
to  death. 

Carolina  Wren.  —  The  author  has  not  been 
able  to  find  any  record  of  this  bird  using  a  nest- 
ing-box, but  from  the  nature  of  the  localities 
which  it  selects  for  its  nesting-sites  there  seems 
little  doubt  that  it  might  easily  be  induced  to  do  so. 
Following  are  the  locations  in  which  it  has  been 
reported  as  nesting :  in  a  broken  gourd  thrown 
on  an  arbor  of  a  grape-vine  ;  in  a  wash-basin  left 
on  a  mantel  of  an  abandoned  negro  cabin; 


NESTING-HOUSES  53 

among  boards  in  the  garret  of  a  barn ;  in  an  old 
cap  hanging  on  a  nail  inside  of  the  lattice-work 
of  an  outhouse ;  under  roofs  of  porches  of  oc- 
cupied houses;  on  a  pantry  shelf  adjoining  a 
kitchen,  the  pantry  being  visited  many  times 
daily ;  behind  a  bookcase  in  a  study. 

Birds  around  Buildings 

In  addition  to  those  birds  which  nest  in  closed 
houses,  there  are  some  others  for  which  induce- 
ments may  be  held  out  to  nest  around  build- 
ings. 

Robins.  —  For  robins  shallow  trays  may  be 
placed  in  suitable  locations.  Mrs.  M.  0.  Wright, 
in  "  Bird-Lore,"  writes :  "  Three  years  ago  I  tried 
the  experiment  of  having  some  flat,  shallow  trays 
about  six  inches  square,  bracketed  in  suitable 
locations  so  as  to  form  attractive  nesting-places 
for  nest-building  robins,  who,  as  we  all  know,  are 
fond  of  straddling  a  tree-crotch  with  their  com- 
pound of  clay  and  grass  or  utilizing  any  flat  beam 
or  odd  nook  that  will  go  for  a  nesting-place. 
These  boxes  had  a  few  holes  in  the  bottom  so 
that  they  should  not  hold  water,  and  were  placed 
so  that  a  branch  or  other  protection  afforded  at 
least  partial  top  shelter.  The  first  season  the 
robins  examined  but  distrusted  the  contrivance ; 


64  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

the  second,  two  were  used  ;  while  last  year  five 
were  occupied  by  robins  and  the  sixth  was  appro- 
priated by  a  phcebe,  who  has  thus  kindly  given 
me  a  hint  for  more  trays  to  be  placed  in  locations 
likely  to  suit  this  lovable  worker  for  garden 
good." 

Phcebe.  —  The  phoebe  prefers  some  covering 
above  its  nest,  and  for  this  bird,  shelves  or  open 
boxes  may  be  nailed 

t0   PlateS  Or  rafterS  in 

barns,  cellars,  and  low 
sheds. 

Barn  Swallow.  — 
For     barn     swallows 


horizontally  to  the 
rafters  of  the  barn,  or  bracket-shelves  may  be 
put  up.  A  hole  should  be  made  in  the  barn  and 
left  constantly  open,  so  that  the  birds  may  come 
in  at  will.  Perhaps  the  scarcity  of  these  birds  in 
some  localities  may  be  due  to  the  modern  style 
of  barn,  with  its  tightly  closed  sides.  An  orna- 
mental opening  can  easily  be  made  in  the  gable, 
which  will  in  no  way  detract  from  the  appear- 
ance or  use  of  the  building.  If  desired,  this  can 
be  closed  during  the  winter. 


NESTING-HOUSES  55 

Eave  Swallow.  —  For  the  eave  swallows  a  long 
shelf  or  cleat  may  be  fastened  just  under  the  eaves 
of  a  barn. 

Chimney  Swift.  —  It  is  worth  while  to  experi- 
ment with  the  chimney  swifts,  by  making  artificial 
chimneys  of  wood  in  imitation  of  the  old-fashioned 
chimneys  so  commonly  frequented  by  these  birds. 
A  few  cleats  nailed  horizontally  may  assist  the 
birds  in  attaching  their  nest.  Such  a  box  may  be 
placed  anywhere  on  the  roof.  This  board  chimney 
has  been  successfully  tried. 

Nesting-material.  — There  are  still  other  birds/ 
which,  while  they  will  not  allow  us  to  choose  the 
exact  site  of  their  nest  for  them,  may  sometimes 
be  induced  to  locate  their  nest  in  our  immediate 
vicinity  if  some  materials  which  can  be  utilized 
in  the  construction  of  the  nest  are  placed  in  a 
conspicuous  place  which  is  easily  accessible.  A 
careful  examination  of  a  large  number  of  nests 
over  large  areas  would  probably  show  that  there 
are  few  of  our  common  species  that  do  not  oc- 
casionally use  materials  which  have  been  manu- 
factured by  man,  such  as  yarn,  string,  paper,  etc. 
This  follows  naturally  from  the  habit  which  many 
birds  have  of  nesting  near  human  habitations. 
There  are  certain  species,  however,  which  use  an 


56  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING   BIRDS 

unusually  large  proportion  of  such  material,  —  as 
the  Baltimore  oriole  and  the  vireos.  The  chipping 
sparrow  nearly  always  lines  its  nest  with  horse- 
hair. In  the  nest  of  a  kingbird,  which  was  located 
in  the  gutter  of  a  house,  the  following  materials 
were  found :  strings,  cotton,  three  kinds  of  cloth, 
tape,  knit  goods,  and  linen.  Robins  very  com- 
monly use  large  pieces  of  cloth. 

Material  to  be  exposed.  —  Some  of  the  ma- 
terials which  may  be  exposed  on  fences,  bushes, 
trees,  etc.,  are  the  following :  yarn,  string,  thread, 
rags,  horsehair,  straw,  tufts  of  cetton  and  wool, 
small  strips  of  cloth,  pieces  of  grape-vine  bark, 
feathers.  The  yarn,  strings,  etc.,  should  be  of 
sombre  color,  as  these  are  preferred  by  the  birds  to 
the  brilliant  colors,  which  would  tend  to  make  the 
nest  conspicuous ;  and  these  pieces  should  be  cut 
into  lengths  of  not  over  twelve  inches,  lest  the 
birds  become  entangled  and  hang  themselves. 
Tragedies  of  this  kind  do  occur  occasionally.  If 
any  of  the  material  is  taken  by  the  birds,  it 
furnishes  opportunity  for  locating  the  nest,  so 
that  such  means  may  be  taken  as  are  necessary  to 
protect  the  occupants. 

Mud.  —  The  robin,  swallow,  and  phrebe  use 
mud  in  their  nests,  so  that  if  in  dry  seasons  pans 


NESTING-HOUSES  67 

of  mud  are  set  in  easily  accessible  but  protected 
places,  they  may  be  found  and  used  by  these  birds. 

Feeding  Young  Birds 

Many  opportunities  will  occur  in  which  some 
care  must  be  given  to  young  birds  just  out  of  the 
nest,  either  to  protect  them  from  cats  or  to  furnish 
them  with  food.  Occasionally  wounded  birds  will 
be  found,  or  nestlings  forsaken  by  their  parents, 
in  which  case  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  entire 
care  of  the  birds  and  feed  them  till  they  are  able 
to  look  out  for  themselves.  In  a  great  many  more 
cases,  however,  one  will  find  young  birds  just 
learning  to  fly  and  unable  to  escape  the  clutches  of 
the  cat.  This  is  one  of  the  most  critical  periods  in 
the  life  of  the  nestlings  in  this  cat-ridden  country. 
In  such  cases  as  these,  which  will  be  of  frequent 
occurrence,  it  is  necessary  to  protect  the  birds  for 
a  few  days  till  they  can  fly,  but  in  such  a  way  that 
they  can  still  be  fed  by  the  parents.  The  follow* 
ing  plan  is  suggested  in  "Bird-Lore"  by  Elizabeth 
A.  Reed :  — 

"Mr.  0.  A.  Stemple  of  Clearwater,  Florida, 
has  evolved  a  scheme  which  promises  to  save  many 
young  birds  if  bird-lovers  will  only  put  it  in  prac- 
tice. It  is  simply  this :  Catch  the  young  birds  and 
put  them  into  a  clean  flour-barrel  standing  in  the 
shade  of  a  tree  near  enough  to  the  house  to  be  easily 


58  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

watched.  Leave  it  open  at  the  top  and  put  in  food 
and  a  shallow  dish  of  fresh  water  with  the  young 
birds.  The  parents  will  soon  find  and  feed  them, 
and  when  they  are  able  to  fly  upwards  and  out 
of  the  barrel,  they  will  take  care  of  themselves. 
Of  course  they  must  be  watched  by  day  and 
securely  covered  at  night  until  they  are  strong 
enough  to  fly  out  of  their  place  of  refuge." 

This  plan  was  successfully  tried  with  some  young 
cardinals,  which  were  fed  in  the  barrel  by  the 
female.  If,  however,  the  parents  do  not  come  to 
the  barrel,  the  young  should  be  fed  about  once 
an  hour  till  the  adult  birds  do  resume  their  duties. 

Another  means  of  protecting  the  young  birds 
is  to  place  them  in  a  cage  with  oilcloth  over  the 
top,  and  suspend  it  in  a  tree  near  the  nest.  The 
parents  may  then  come  and  feed  the  fledglings 
through  the  bars.  They  should  be  kept  in  the 
cage  a  few  days  till  their  wings  are  stronger,  and 
then  released.  But  they  should  be  watched  and 
fed  till  the  parents  do  come  to  the  cage,  so  that 
if  deserted  they  may  be  reared  by  hand.  If  the 
weather  is  cold  or  stormy,  the  cage  should  be  taken 
down  and  put  in  a  warm  place  during  the  night. 
In  catching  the  young  bird  special  caution  should 
be  taken  not  to  frighten  it.  It  is  better  to  wait  till 
the  parents  have  ceased  their  cries  of  alarm  and 
have  departed  for  food,  before  attempting  to  take 


NESTING-HOUSES  59 

the  young  bird.  One  should  approach  slowly  and 
lift  the  bird  gently  without  any  suggestion  of  grab- 
bing. It  will  be  useless  to  return  the  bird  to  its 
nest,  but  some  plan  such  as  previously  suggested 
must  be  tried. 

Kind  of  Food.  —  While  even  in  cases  of  this 
kind  it  may  be  necessary  to  feed  the  young  for 
a  little  while,  instances  will  sometimes  occur  with 
wounded  or  deserted  birds  in  which  they  must  be 
fed  entirely  by  hand  till  they  are  able  to  care  for 
themselves.  Meal-worms  are  the  best  food  for  in- 
sectivorous birds.  "  Ants'  eggs  "  and  mocking- 
bird food,  sold  at  the  bird-stores,  may  also  be  used. 
Nearly  all  birds  will  eat  grasshoppers  and  hairless 
caterpillars.  Robins  are  fond  of  earthworms,  and 
these  will  be  eaten  also  by  many  other  birds. 
Spiders  seem  to  have  a  stimulating  effect  on  the 
young  birds.  Bread  and  milk  and  the  yolks  of 
hard-boiled  eggs  will  serve  as  a  good  substitute 
for  insect  food.  Finely  chewed  nuts  and  cooked 
meat  and  chopped  lean  meat  will  also  be  relished. 
The  mixture  used  for  rearing  young  martins, 
described  on  page  36,  may  also  be  used  for  in- 
sectivorous birds.  It  will  probably  be  better  to 
use  several  kinds  of  food,  rather  than  to  rely 
on  one.  While  caring  for  the  young  birds,  one 
must  remember  that  they  cannot  pick  up  food 


60  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

for  themselves,  but  it  must  be  placed  in  their 
mouths,  and  they  should  be  fed  about  once  an 
hour  during  the  hours  of  daylight.  It  may  take 
several  days  for  them  to  learn  to  feed  themselves. 
For  a  further  discussion  of  this  subject  of 
taming  and  feeding  birds  the  reader  is  referred 
to  Hodge's  "  Nature  Study  and  Life,"  Chapter 
xxi,  from  which  many  of  the  above  suggestions 
are  taken. 

Difficulties 

In  attempting  to  induce  birds  to  nest  in  houses, 
there  are  two  difficulties  met  with  everywhere,  the 
cat  and  the  English  sparrow.  The  latter  is  much 
the  more  troublesome ;  the  cat  can  be  outwitted 
quite  readily,  but  not  so  the  sparrow,  which  pos- 
sesses a  persistence  difficult  to  overcome.  The  cat 
brings  trouble  only  after  the  houses  have  been 
occupied  and  the  young  hatched;  the  sparrow 
brings  trouble  weeks  before  the  other  birds  are 
due  to  begin  nesting,  by  preempting  all  claims  to 
any  available  nesting-sites ;  and  when  other  birds 
do  return,  the  sparrows  prevent  them  from  at- 
tempting to  nest  in  most  cases,  and  keep  up  a 
constant  quarreling  with  those  birds  that  may 
begin  nesting.  In  many  cases  they  go  even  fur- 
ther and  destroy  the  eggs  and  nestlings  and 
adults  of  the  native  birds  which  may  have  suc- 
ceeded in  establishing  themselves  in  a  nesting-site. 


NESTING-HOUSES  61 

Outwitting  the  Cat.  —  The  cat  does  its  dam- 
age while  the  young  are  in  the  nest,  by  sneaking 
around  and  pawing  out  the  nestlings,  and  often- 
times catching  the  parent  birds  as  they  are 
coming  in  or  going  out,  or  as  they  are  defending 
the  young.  It  also  does  much  harm  by  catching 
young  birds  just  out  of  the  nest  before  they  are 
able  to  fly  readily.  By  observing  a  few  simple 
precautions  in  the  construction  and  location  of 
the  houses  and  their  subsequent  protection,  it  is 
possible  almost  entirely  to  eliminate  the  cat  as 
an  obstructing  factor.  In  the  construction  of  the 
house,  if  it  is  made  deep,  the  hole  located  near 
the  top,  and  the  roof  made  to  project  well  out  as 
described  on  pages  18,  19,  a  nearly  cat-proof 
house  will  be  the  result.  When  the  young  do 
leave  such  a  house,  they  will  be  strong  enough  to 
learn  to  fly  quickly.  If  the  house  is  mounted  on  a 
pole  which  is  slim  and  slippery,  the  cats  will  find 
it  difficult  to  climb.  But  the  surest  protection, 
where  the  only  approach  to  the  house  is  up  the 
support  to  which  it  is  attached,  may  be  secured 
by  placing  something  on  the  support  below  the 
house,  over  which  the  cats  cannot  climb.  This 
should  be  placed  so  high  that  the  cats  cannot 
jump  above  it  from  the  ground.  The  simplest 
method  is  to  wrap  around  the  support  a  piece  of 
tin  or  zinc,  of  such  width  that  the  cats  cannot 


62  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

reach  across  it ;  from  two  to  three  feet  is  wide 
enough  and  possibly  a  narrower  piece  will  suffice. 
To  render  it  less  conspicuous,  it  may  be  painted 
the  color  of  the  support.  If  more  perfect  protec- 
tion is  desired,  a  piece  of  zinc  or  wire-netting  may 
be  modeled  in  the  shape  of  a 
cone  with  the  large  end  down,  as 
shown  in  the  cut ;  or 
a  circle  may  be  cut 
out  of  the  tin,  of  the 
same  diameter  as  the 
pole,  and  the  tin  made 
to  surround  the  pole 
like  the  brim  of  a 
hat.  Another  device 
is  made  by  wrapping 
several  strands  of 
barbed  wire  around 
the  support,  attached  to  two  pieces  of  board  as 
shown  in  the  cut  on  page  63,  or  a  bunch  of  stalks 
of  rose-bushes,  or  other  branches  with  thorns, 
may  be  tied  around  the  support.  Still  another 
method  is  to  place  a  piece  of  heavy  poultry-wire 
netting  or  a  piece  of  tin  on  top  of  the  post,  at 
right  angles  to  it. 

One  correspondent  writes  that  the  house  wrens 
were  successfully  protected  from  the  cat  by  using 
poultry- wire  netting  with  an  inch  mesh.  A  piece 


TIN  OR  ZINC  CAT-GUARDS 
(E.  H.  Forbush) 


NESTING-HOUSES 


63 


was  formed  into  the  shape  of  a  rather  small,  deep 
bowl  and  put  over  the  front  of  the  house,  being 
securely  tacked 
around.  This  held 
the  cat  at  such  a 
distance  that  it 
could  not  reach 
further  than  the  en- 
trance. In  this  case 
the  netting  was  not 
put  on  till  after  the 
birds  began  to  nest. 
Whether  such  an 
arrangement,  if  put 
on  early  in  the  sea- 
son, would  frighten 
the  birds  away,  can 
be  determined  only 
by  experiment.  BARBED- WIRE  CAT  GUARD 

(From  Lange's  "  Our  Native  Birds  ") 

Traps  for  Cats.  —  If  it  is  desired  to  settle 
the  cat  question  permanently,  a  box-trap,  baited 
with  catnip,  may  be  effective  in  enticing  them 
into  such  small  quarters  that  further  disposition 
may  be  made  of  them. 

Cat-proof  Fences.  —  In  some  cases  it  may  be 
desirable  to  surround  a  yard  with  a  fence  to  ex- 


64 


METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 


elude  cats.  In  the  cut  below  is  shown  a  cat-proof 
fence,  the  description  of  which  is  taken  from 
Lange's  "  Our  Native  Birds  " :  — 

"  To  one  who  will  go  to  the  expense  and  trou- 
ble I  recommend  a  fence  of  wire  netting  from 
6  to  8  feet  high.  Near  the  upper  edge  of  this 
netting  fasten  from  six  to  ten  wires,  with  close 


A  CAT-PROOF  FENCE,   SEEN  FROM  THE  OUTSIDE 
(From  Lange's  "  Our  Native  Birds  ") 

sharp  barbs.  The  space  between  the  barb-wires 
should  be  from  \  to  1  inch  wide.  Another  way 
would  be  to  nail  to  the  posts  cross-pieces  from 
10  to  18  inches  long.  These  pieces  should  pro- 
ject at  right  angles  to  the  outside.  Connect  these 


NESTING-HOUSES  65 

cross-pieces  by  closely  drawn  wires  or  by  wire 
netting.  A  few  barbed  wires  should  be  strung 
along  the  outer  horizontal  edge  of  this  fence. 
Cover  the  outer  ends  of  cross-pieces  by  a  coil 
of  barbed  wire.  The  meshes  in  the  wire  must,  of 
course,  not  be  too  large,  there  must  be  no  holes 
left  near  the  ground,  and  no  posts,  walls  or  trees 
from  which  cats  can  jump  into  the  enclosure.  The 
appearance  of  such  fences  can  be  much  improved 
by  using  them  as  a  support  for  such  annual 
climbing  plants  as  do  not  form  wood  enough 
for  cats  to  climb  on.  Instead  of  wire  netting, 
a  strong  well-tarred  fish-net  six  feet  or  more  in 
height  may  be  used  with  good  results.  From 
time  to  time  the  net  must  receive  a  fresh  appli- 
cation of  tar." 

Mr.  William  Brewster  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  has 
an  excellent  cat-proof  fence  for  a  city  garden.  It 
is  made  of  wire  netting  about  six  feet  high,  sur- 
mounted by  a  fish-seine  of  heavy  twine,  fastened 
to  the  top  of  the  wire.  The  top  of  the  net  is 
looped  to  the  ends  of  long  flexible  stakes.  This 
gives  so  easily  and  furnishes  so  uncertain  a  foot- 
ing that  cats  are  not  able  to  climb  over  it. 

English  Sparrow. —  It  is  difficult  for  one  who 
has  had  much  experience  with  bird-houses  to  re- 
strain his  selection  of  words  on  referring  to  this 


66  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

persistent,  quarrelsome,  indefatigable  nuisance, 
which  brings  to  naught  so  many  efforts  in  be- 
half of  our  native  birds.  The  author  feels  very 
strongly  on  this  matter,  on  account  of  his  ex- 
perience with  children,  as  supervisor  of  nature- 
study.  The  children  easily  become  enthusiastic 
over  building  bird-houses,  so  that  our  suburbs 
and  towns  might  soon  become  thronged  with  our 
beautiful  and  useful  birds,  were  it  not  for  the 
English  sparrow.  But  whenever  the  children  put 
out  bird-houses,  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  it 
is  the  sparrow  which  is  the  tenant ;  and  after  a 
few  experiences  of  this  kind  both  children  and 
teachers  naturally  become  discouraged  and  cease 
their  efforts. 

For  a  number  of  years  the  author  has  tried 
various  devices  for  outwitting  the  English  spar- 
row and  has  eagerly  looked  for  any  suggestion 
along  this  line.  At  the  outset,  he  must  confess 
that  his  efforts  in  this  direction  have  proved 
mostly  failures,  but  he  will  give  the  results  of  his 
experiences  and  of  those  of  others  concerning 
which  he  has  been  able  to  secure  any  record. 

The  various  devices  which  have  been  used  to 
combat  the  sparrow  may  be  grouped  into  two 
classes :  those  whose  purpose  is  simply  to  keep 
out  the  sparrows  without  harming  them;  and 
those  which  tend  to  decrease  their  numbers, 


NESTING-HOUSES  67 

or  drive  them  away,  by  killing  them.  The  author 
has  taken  a  special  interest  in  trying  the  first 
class  of  devices,  as  he  was  desirous  of  finding 
some  method  which  could  be  recommended  to 
children,  which  cannot  be  done  of  course  with 
the  second  method. 

Perches.  —  The  first  suggestion  to  which  the 
author's  attention  was  called  was  that  the  spar- 
rows would  not  nest  in  houses  not  provided  with 
perches.  Universal  experience  shows  that  this  is 
a  useless  precaution;  the  author  believes,  how- 
ever, that  it  is  a  little  better  to  construct  houses 
without  perches,  which  only  tend  to  give  the  spar- 
rows a  better  opportunity  to  stand  by  the  entrance 
and  annoy  the  other  birds. 

Boxes  placed  low.  —  Another  suggestion, 
which  also  proves  useless,  is  that  if  the  boxes  are 
placed  near  the  ground,  from  eight  to  ten  feet, 
the  sparrows  will  become  discouraged  when  they 
see  that  the  houses  can  be  reached  from  a  chair. 
All  the  data  that  the  author  has  been  able  to 
obtain  indicate  that  this  makes  practically  no 
difference  in  the  nesting  of  the  sparrows. 

Trap-door  on  House.  —  A  third  suggestion 
tried  was  to  trap  the  sparrow  while  in  the  house. 


68  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

A  swinging  cover  was  screwed  just  above  the  en- 
trance, and  a  long  string  attached  to  this  so  that 
it  could  be  pulled  down  and  made  to  cover  the 
hole.  The  house  was  watched  until  a  sparrow  was 
seen  to  enter,  which  was  trapped  inside.  It  was 
kept  overnight  and  then  the  cover  was  removed ; 
but  the  bird  seemed  in  no  hurry  to  leave  the  box, 
and  it  was  only  after  renewed  pounding  on  the 
box  that  she  was  driven  out.  Investigation  showed 
that  she  was  incubating  her  eggs,  and  that  the 
trap-door  merely  forced  her  to  do  what  she  would 
naturally  have  done  anyway. 

Sioinging  Houses.  —  The  device  of  a  swinging 
house  seemed  at  first  to  promise  satisfactory  re- 
sults, because  the  principle  had  worked  perfectly 
during  a  winter's  experience  while  feeding  birds 
on  a  swinging  lunch-counter.  In  order  to  try  this 
plan  on  a  large  scale  the  author  visited  the 
schools  situated  in  the  more  favorable  districts 
of  the  city  where  he  lived,  and  explained  the 
matter  to  the  children  and  asked  their  coopera- 
tion. Some  bird-cage  springs  were  furnished  to 
the  children;  but  as  the  supply  was  soon  ex- 
hausted, the  children  were  told  simply  to  suspend 
their  houses  by  wire.  As  a  little  incentive,  a  prize 
was  offered  for  the  best  account  of  experiences 
with  the  bird-houses.  The  children  responded 


NESTING-HOUSES  69 

in  large  numbers  with  great  enthusiasm,  which 
showed  how  easily  this  locality  might  be  made  a 
paradise  for  birds  were  it  not  for  the  discourag- 
ing intervention  of  that  annoying  pest,  the  Eng- 
lish sparrow. 

In  the  fall  statistics  were  gathered  from  the 
children  relative  to  their  experiences  with  the 
bird-houses,  and  the  results  are  given  below. 

In  33  moving  or  suspended  houses  34  pairs  of 
birds  began  to  nest  (12  of  bluebirds,  12  of  wrens, 
3  of  robins,  1  starling,  6  of  English  sparrows) ; 
young  were  reared  in  8  (2  bluebird,  4  wren, 
2  sparrow) ;  birds  were  driven  away  from  6 
houses  by  the  sparrows  (3  bluebird,  2  wren,  1 
robin).  In  three  other  moving  houses  the  spar- 
rows attempted  to  drive  out  the  inmates,  but 
were  unsuccessful.  They  also  tried  to  dislodge 
the  starlings,  but  were  unable  to  do  so,  one  of 
the  sparrows  being  killed  in  the  fight. 

In  27  stationary  houses  25  pairs  of  birds  began 
to  build  nests  (13  of  bluebirds,  7  of  wrens,  2  of 
robins,  3  of  sparrows) ;  15  reared  young  (8  blue- 
bird, 5  wren,  1  robin,  1  sparrow);  the  birds  were 
driven  from  three  houses  (2  wrens,  1  robin)  by 
the  English  sparrow. 

The  results  show  that  the  English  sparrows 
were  not  outwitted  by  the  device  of  a  moving 
house.  The  sparrows  began  to  build  in  six  of 


70  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

these  houses  and  two  pairs  successfully  reared 
young,  and  doubtless  others  would  have  done  so, 
had  they  not  been  driven  away  by  the  children. 
In  nine  cases  the  sparrows  attempted  to  drive  out 
birds  that  had  begun  to  build  in  the  moving 
houses,  and  in  six  cases  were  successful. 

The  following  season  the  author  advised  the 
children  to  build  more  houses  for  the  wren,  and 
make  the  hole  so  small  that  the  English  sparrow 
could  not  enter;  in  the  fall  statistics  were  taken 
and  showed  a  large  increase  in  the  number  of 
wrens  nesting  and  a  slight  decrease  in  the  num- 
ber of  bluebirds. 

Of  43  stationary  houses,  the  bluebirds  reared 
young  in  5,  the  house  wren  in  21,  and  the  Eng- 
lish sparrow  in  7.  Of  12  moving  houses,  the 
bluebirds  reared  young  in  3,  the  wrens  in  3,  and 
the  English  sparrow  in  1. 

During  the  third  season,  in  56  stationary 
houses,  56  pairs  of  birds  began  to  nest  (13  of 
bluebirds,  20  of  wrens,  23  of  sparrows) ;  34  reared 
young  (7  bluebirds,  15  wrens,  12  sparrows).  In 
7  moving  houses,  6  pairs  began  to  nest  (2  of 
wrens,  4  of  sparrows) ;  3  reared  young  (2  wrens, 
1  sparrow). 

The  results  of  the  three  seasons  are  summar- 
ized in  the  following  table,  which  includes  only 
those  birds  that  reared  young :  — 


NESTING-HOUSES  71 

Per  cent  occupied 

Total  By  Blue-    By  English 

Number       Total         By  Wren      bird  Sparrow 

Stationary  houses 
Moving  houses 
Total 

These  figures  suggest  that  all  the  birds  pre- 
ferred the  stationary  house,  and  that  by  suspend- 
ing the  houses  the  percentage  of  sparrows  using 
them  was  not  decreased  any  more  than  the  per- 
centage of  other  birds. 

The  author's  personal  experience  and  that  of 
others  of  whose  observations  he  has  been  able 
to  obtain  records  indicate  that  the  moving  bird- 
house  is  not  a  very  successful  device  for  outwit- 
ting the  sparrow ;  these  experiences  show,  how- 
ever, that  our  native  birds  will  use  such  houses ; 
and  after  careful  consideration  of  all  the  evidence 
at  hand,  the  author  believes  that  they  may  help 
a  little  toward  the  desired  end,  as  the  sparrows 
seem  to  prefer  a  stationary  to  a  moving  house. 
But  there  is  the  probability,  however,  that  the 
sparrows,  though  a  little  cautious  at  first,  would 
soon  become  as  accustomed  to  the  latter  as  to 
the  former. 

Removing  the  Eggs.  —  The  author  has  con- 
structed his  houses  so  that  the  top  could  be  easily 


72  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

lifted,  and  he  has  tried  removing  both  nest  and 
eggs ;  but  this  plan  has  not  proved  successful,  as 
the  sparrows  would  begin  building  again  the  same 
day.  Several  observers  have  reported  that  if  the 
nest  is  left  undisturbed  but  the  eggs  alone  re- 
moved, the  sparrows  become  discouraged  after  a 
while  and  desert  the  box.  The  following  is  taken 
from  Weed  and  Dearborn's  "  Birds  in  Their  Re- 
lation to  Man  "  :  — 

Mrs.  Mary  Treat  has  recorded  an  ingenious 
experiment  in  discouraging  the  English  sparrow 
on  her  premises.  "  A  few  years  ago,"  she  writes, 
"  they  were  here  in  great  numbers,  driving  blue- 
birds and  wrens  and  martins  from  their  boxes. 
At  last  I  had  boxes  made  on  purpose  for  the 
plagues,  with  a  hinged  cover,  and  allowed  each 
occupant  to  lay  the  requisite  number  of  eggs,  usu- 
ally six,  and  commence  to  incubate,  when  I  would 
destroy  the  eggs  without  disturbing  the  nest.  At 
first  the  little  simpletons,  after  making  great  ado, 
would  in  a  few  days  thereafter  again  lay  eggs  in 
the  same  boxes.  Sometimes  over  thirty  eggs  were 
laid  in  one  box.  But  even  the  English  sparrow 
finally  learns  prudence.  Each  year  they  appeared 
in  diminished  numbers,  and  last  year  only  one 
pair  attempted  to  preempt  a  box  and  they  left 
after  the  first  setting  of  eggs  were  destroyed, 
and  the  bluebirds  and  wrens  had  peace." 


NESTING-HOUSES  73 

The  above  was  written  about  six  years  ago, 
and  so  the  author  wrote  Mrs.  Treat,  inquiring 
whether  her  experience  since  that  time  had  been 
equally  successful,  to  which  she  replied :  — 

"  Yes,  I  find  removing  eggs  of  the  English 
sparrow  a  perfect  success.  None  of  the  pests  are 
allowed  to  hatch  on  my  premises  and  it  is  very 
seldom  they  attempt  it.  They  seem  to  have 
learned  their  lesson  well." 

Professor  Forbush  also  writes  that  he  con- 
siders it  more  effective  to  remove  the  eggs  only 
rather  than  the  whole  nest. 

This  is  the  most  promising  suggestion  of  those 
that  do  not  require  the  killing  of  the  sparrow,  that 
has  come  to  the  author's  attention.  The  sparrows 
begin  nesting  so  early  that  many  of  them  might 
be  discouraged  before  the  native  birds  were  ready 
to  begin. 

This  method  of  repeatedly  destroying  the  eggs 
for  a  few  years  offers  an  opportunity  of  reducing 
the  number  of  sparrows  without  resorting  to 
killing  them,  where  a  systematic  effort  is  made 
throughout  a  whole  locality,  or  possibly  just  in 
large  parks. 

Keep  Holes  covered.  —  The  advantage  which 
the  sparrows  obtain  over  our  native  birds  by 
being  with  us  all  the  year  round  and  by  beginning 


74  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

to  nest  so  early,  may  be  entirely  neutralized  either 
by  taking  down  the  houses  in  the  fall  and  not 
putting  them  up  till  the  birds  return  in  the 
spring,  or  by  covering  up  the  holes  after  the 
birds  are  through  with  the  nest,  and  keeping  the 
cover  on  till  the  nesting-time  of  the  bird  which  we 
wish  to  induce  to  nest  there.  Or,  as  previously 
suggested,  we  may  let  the  sparrows  nest  early  and 
try  to  discourage  them  before  the  other  birds  are 
ready. 

Small  Holes.  —  There  is  considerable  satis- 
faction in  being  able  to  record  one  device  which 
is  almost  entirely  successful  in  keeping  out  the 
sparrows,  and  that  is,  making  the  hole  so  small 
that  the  sparrows  cannot  enter,  but  large  enough 
for  the  wrens  and  chickadees.  An  inch  hole  is 
large  enough  for  the  wren,  and  keeps  out  the  spar- 
rows; an  inch  and  an  eighth  will  do  for  the 
chickadee,  and  will  usually  keep  out  the  sparrow, 
although  the  author  finds  observations  recorded 
in  which  the  sparrow  entered  even  this  size ;  but 
this  is  probably  exceptional.  Even  with  the  wren- 
houses  there  may  occasionally  be  a  little  trouble. 
In  one  case  the  sparrow  was  seen  to  enlarge  the 
hole  till  it  was  large  enough  for  it  to  enter.  In 
a  few  cases  the  sparrow  is  reported  as  staying 
around  the  house  and  troubling  the  wrens  as  they 


NESTING-HOUSES  75 

enter  or  leave.  In  the  majority  of  cases,  however, 
these  small  openings  seem  to  have  been  effective 
in  keeping  out  the  sparrow.  To  what  extent, 
however,  wrens  may  even  then  become  discour- 
aged through  the  presence  and  persecution  o£ 
the  sparrows,  it  is  difficult  to  say. 

As  a  means  of  keeping  the  English  sparrow 
out  of  the  martin-houses  it  has  been  suggested 
that  the  entrance  be  placed  underneath.  In  one 
case  in  which  this  was  tried  by  making  holes 
underneath  the  jut  of  an  old  house,  it  worked 
well  the  first  year,  being  used  by  the  martins,  but 
not  by  the  sparrows ;  it  was  not  so  successful  the 
second  year,  and  now  the  sparrows  have  taken  all 
the  holes.  However,  this  plan  might  be  tried  else- 
where, not  only  with  the  martins,  but  also  with 
the  bluebird  and  tree  swallow  houses  as  well.  It 
seems  very  probable  that  the  swallows  might  be 
able  to  use  such  a  house. 

Killing  the  Sparrows.  —  The  devices  so  far 
explained  have  sought  to  keep  out  the  sparrows 
without  injuring  them  ;  but  there  is  one  other  plan 
left,  namely,  to  trap  or  shoot  them.  After  trying 
quite  a  variety  of  devices  personally,  and  after 
reading  the  results  of  others'  experiences,  the 
author  is  forced  somewhat  reluctantly  to  the  con- 
clusion that  this  is  the  only  successful  way  to 


76  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

deal  with  this  pest, —  reluctantly,  because  it  can- 
not be  recommended  to  children,  who  are  among 
our  most  enthusiastic,  as  they  are  our  most  nu- 
merous bird-protectors. 

Shooting  the  Sparrows. — The  kind  of  firearm 
generally  recommended  is  a  small  rifle,  in  which 
may  be  used  the  ordinary  or  fine  shot-cartridge, 
although  a  shotgun  may  prove  a  more  effective 
implement  for  one  who  is  not  a  good  marksman 
with  the  rifle.  One  correspondent  suggests  the 
use  of  an  air-rifle,  because  it  makes  so  little  noise 
and  thus  lessens  the  possibility  of  frightening 
away  desirable  birds.  If  the  sparrows  become 
wary,  the  shooting  may  be  done  from  the  house 
through  an  open  window,  using  smokeless  powder. 
In  this  manner,  too,  very  little  noise  is  heard 
outside,  and  the  other  birds  are  not  disturbed. 

A  very  effective  way  to  break  up  the  nesting 
of  the  sparrows  is  to  shoot  only  the  females. 
This  shooting  should  be  started  in  the  winter,  so 
that  on  the  arrival  of  the  nesting-season,  the 
males  shall  very  greatly  outnumber  the  females. 
This  preponderance  of  males  will  render  the  suc- 
cessful mating  of  any  pairs  improbable,  the  suc- 
cess of  this  method  depending  upon  the  extent 
to  which  this  preponderance  in  number  of  one 
sex  over  the  other  is  maintained. 


NESTING-HOUSES  77 

In  this  connection  the  question  has  been  raised 
whether  shooting  would  not  drive  away  other 
birds.  But  all  the  records  which  the  author  has 
been  able  to  obtain,  together  with  his  own  ex- 
perience, indicate  that  this  fear  is  entirely  ground- 
less. The  native  birds  seem  almost  to  understand 
and  appreciate  the  help  that  is  given  them  in 
fighting  their  enemy.  Nor  do  other  birds  which 
nest  in  trees  and  bushes  around  the  yard,  such  as 
chipping  sparrows,  robins,  song  sparrows,  yellow 
warblers,  etc.,  seem  to  be  frightened  by  the 
shooting. 

.  Trapping  the  Sparrows.  —  In  cities,  where  the 
sparrows  are  most  troublesome,  there  is  usually 
an  ordinance  against  the  use  of  firearms,  without 
special  permission  from  the  authorities.  Another 
method  of  killing  the  sparrows,  without  the  use 
of  firearms,  is  to  trap  them.  This  method,  together 
with  the  use  of  poisoned  food,  can  be  used  to  the 
best  advantage,  perhaps,  in  the  winter,  regarding 
which  more  will  be  said  in  the  chapter  on  feeding 
winter  birds ;  and  if  the  flocks  that  frequent  our 
yards  during  the  winter  are  disposed  of,  there  will 
be  so  many  less  to  make  trouble  in  the  nesting- 
season.  But  the  author  would  suggest  the  follow- 
ing plan  for  trapping  them  in  the  spring.  He 
has  not  yet  tried  it,  nor  does  he  know  whether 


78  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

it  has  ever  been  attempted,  but  he  believes  it  is 
worthy  of  a  trial.  The  plan  is  to  make  the  nest- 
ing-houses bird-traps.  Arrangements  maybe  made 
whereby  the  weight  of  the  bird  as  it  entered 
would  release  a  catch  which  wduld  trap  the 
sparrow  inside.  This  could  be  arranged  by  having 
a  false  bottom  suspended  about  an  inch  above  the 
true  bottom,  in  such  away  that  the  weight  of  the 
bird  on  this  would  cause  a  cover  to  fall,  closing 
the  entrance. 

Another  arrangement,  which  may  be  more 
easily  made,  is  to  attach  a  swinging  cover  to  the 
outside  of  the  house  beside  the  hole,  with  a  long 
string  fastened  to  the  cover  by  means  of  which  it 
may  be  pulled  down  to  close  the  hole  and  trap 
the  sparrow.  This  may  be  done  either  at  night  or 
at  any  other  time  whenever  the  sparrow  is  found 
inside.  At  first  the  birds  may  be  cautious  of  this 
addition  to  the  box,  but  they  will  soon  become 
accustomed  to  it  and  enter  the  box  as  usual. 

The  house  should  be  so  arranged  that  it  can 
easily  be  taken  down  and  immersed  in  water,  to 
drown  the  sparrows.  And,  indeed,  it  is  well  to  put 
up  all  bird-houses  so  that  they  may  be  easily  re- 
moved. For  this  purpose  the  following  method  is 
satisfactory :  A  strip  of  wood  a  little  longer  than 
the  house  is  attached  to  its  back.  At  each  ex- 
tremity of  this  strip  is  made  a  narrow  slit  about 


NFSnNG-HOUSES  79 

two  inches  long  and  a  half-inch  wide.  Two  large 
staples  are  driven  part-way  into  the  support  on 
which  the  house  is  to  be  placed,  at  such  distance 
apart  as  to  fit  into  the  slits.  Wooden  plugs  are 
then  whittled  out  to  fit  into  the  staples,  thus 
holding  the  box  firmly  in  place  and  also  allowing 
it  to  be  quickly  and  easily  removed. 

In  a  Farmers'  Bulletin  recently  issued  by  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  is  given  the  sugges- 
tion that  the  sparrows  may  be  caught  at  night  by 
means  of  a  long-handled  net  with  a  deep  bag  and 
a  hoop  of  the  right  shape  to  fit  over  the  front  of 
the  house.  By  rapping  on  the  box  the  occupant 
may  be  driven  into  the  net. 


CHAPTER  HI 

ATTRACTING   THE   WINTER   BIRDS 

IN  making  plans  for  attracting  the  winter  birds, 
one  needs  to  consider  four  things :  the  kinds  of 
food  to  be  used ;  methods  of  exposing  it ;  means  of 
shelter  from  the  severity  of  the  weather ;  and  the 
protection  of  the  birds  from  their  enemies.  A  study 
of  the  habits  of  the  birds  which  we  expect  to  attract 
will  give  the  clue  to  the  successful  solution  of  the 
problems  involved  in  these  considerations.  As  re- 
gards their  food,  our  winter  birds  may  be  grouped 
in  two  classes,  insect-eating  birds,  such  as  the 
chickadees,  woodpeckers,  nuthatches ;  and  seed- 
eating  birds,  such  as  the  sparrows  and  juncos.  In 
general  animal  food  will  attract  the  first  class  and 
vegetable  food  the  second,  but  insect-eating  birds 
often  eat  vegetable  food,  and  seed-eating  birds 
often  eat  animal  food. 

Foods  preferred 

As  far  as  possible  one  should  put  out  the  kinds 
of  food  which  birds  prefer,  if  one  would  be  most 
successful ;  but  in  times  of  great  hunger  birds 
will  eat  many  foods  which  under  ordinary  circum- 


SONG  SPARROW 


DOWNY   WOODPECKER 


A  BIRD'S  TEPEE 

made  of  bean-poles  with  the  vines 
'  still  attached 


SELF-SUPPLYING  FEED  BOX 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS  81 

stances  would  not  be  attractive  to  them.  The 
various  records  to  which  the  author  has  had  ac- 
cess indicate  that  the  same  species,  in  different 
localities,  may  prefer  different  kinds  of  food.  Fol* 
lowing  are  some  of  the  preferences  shown  by  the 
birds  as  reported  by  different  observers  :  — 

"  The  chickadee  preferred  the  raw  pork  rinds 
to  the  suet.  However,  nothing  seems  to  tempt  the 
appetite  of  these  birds  like  the  seeds  of  the  sun- 
flower."—A  C.Dike. 

"  The  white-breasted  nuthatch  ate  everything 
from  cracked  corn  to  suet,  but  seemed  particularly 
fond  of  walnut  meats."  —  Edwin  C.  Brown. 

11  Hungry  birds  will  eat  many  things  that  do  not 
belong  strictly  to  bird-diet ;  but  two  articles  I  have 
found  will  suffice  for  all  species,  suet  in  good-sized 
lumps,  that  will  not  be  torn  to  shreds  too  soon  for 
the  woodpeckers  and  all  other  tree-trunk-climb- 
ing birds,  and  any  one  of  the  various  dog-biscuits, 
broken  into  pieces  of  various  sizes,  ranging  from 
that  of  a  chestnut,  which  jays  and  nuthatches  love 
to  pound  up  to  suit  their  tastes,  to  crumbs  that 
tempt  the  junco,  tree  sparrow,  purple  finch,  snow- 
flake,  and  even  the  robins  and  bluebirds ;  and  the 
chickadee  will  take  both  meat  and  bread."  — 
Mabel  Osgood  Wright. 


82  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

"  The  woodpeckers  eat  nothing  but  suet,  while 
the  juncos  eat  nothing  but  crumbs  and  seeds.  The 
birds  have  a  decided  preference  for  doughnut- 
crumbs,  although  they  are  very  fond  of  bread- 
crumbs. The  brown  creeper  likes  crumbs  and  suet, 
while  the  chickadees  and  nuthatches,  although 
they  will  eat  anything  I  give  them,  like  nuts  and 
squash-seeds  best.  I  crack  nuts  for  them  and  give 
them  shells  and  all,  while  I  simply  break  the 
squash-seeds  in  two."  —  Samuel  D.  Bobbins. 

"  There  is  no  better  food  to  attract  jays  than 
chestnuts.  Whole  corn  comes  next  and  afterwards 
meat. 

"  A  first-class  bird-food  is  the  berry  of  the 
myrtle,  bayberries;  practically  all  birds  eat 
them. 

"  Quail  are  fond  of  picking  over  hayseed  and 
chaff  for  the  weed  and  grass  in  it.  In  fact  all  the 
sparrows  are  as  fond  of  this  as  of  anything. 

"I  think  that  the  Japanese  barnyard  millet 
is  the  favorite  among  all  seeds  for  the  majority 
of  our  birds  in  Massachusetts.  Fox  sparrows  are 
fond  of  this.  They  took  it  from  our  shelf  all 
icinter.  The  white-throated  sparrow  is  a  glutton 
for  Japanese  millet. 

"  The  goldfinch  prefers  sunflower-seeds  to  all 
others."  —  E.  II.  Forbitsh. 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS 


S3 


The  following  table  was  made  by  the  author's 
friend,  Edward  Uehling,  as  the  result  of  a  favor- 
able winter  with  the  birds.  The  author  also  had 
frequent  opportunity  for  observations  at  the  same 
place  and  with  practically  the  same  results  as  re- 
corded in  the  table. 


Birds: 

Foods  eaten  : 

Food  preferred. 

Brown  creeper 

Suet. 

Suet. 

Blue  jay 

Nuts,  sunflower-seeds, 

Nuts,    seeds,     and 

bread,  suet. 

suet. 

Chickadee 

Nuts,  sunflower-seeds, 

Nuts  and  sunflower- 

hemp-seeds,  crumbs, 

seeds. 

suet. 

Downy  wood- 

pecker 

Suet. 

Suet. 

Hermit  thrush 

Suet,  crumbs. 

Suet. 

Junco 

Crumbs,  sunflower- 

Crumbs. 

seeds. 

Myrtle  warbler 

Suet. 

Suet. 

White-breasted 

nuthatch 

Same  as  chickadees. 

Same  as  chickadees. 

Tree  sparrow 

Crumbs. 

Crumbs. 

White-throated 

sparrow 

Crumbs. 

Crumbs. 

The  author  has  found  suet  to  be  the  best  ani- 
mal food,  being  especially  adapted  for  use  in  very 
cold  weather,  as  it  does  not  freeze  readily.  Small 
pieces,  which  might  be  otherwise  wasted,  may  be 
melted  together  till  they  unite  in  one  piece,  and 
then  allowed  to  cool.  The  best  kinds  of  vegetable 
foods  are  found  among  the  nuts  and  seeds.  In 
the  author's  experience  with  winter  birds,  sun- 


84  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

flower-seeds  have  proved  a  great  favorite  even 
with  some  insectivorous  species  like  the  chickadee 
and  white-breasted  nuthatch,  which  often  select 
these  seeds  in  preference  to  meat. 

Birds  tamed  to  eat  from  the  Hand.  —  The 
kinds  of  food  which  birds  have  eaten  from  the 
hand  may  also  suggest  another  way  of  ascertain- 
ing the  kinds  of  food  preferred,  as  evidently  the 
birds  need  some  special  inducement  to  alight 
on  the  human  hand,  at  least,  for  the  first  time. 
The  following  table  summarizes  in  brief  form  the 
records  which  the  author  has  been  able  to  find  of 
winter  birds  which  have  become  so  tame  as  to 
feed  from  the  hand.  In  some  of  these  cases  the 
birds  took  the  food  from  the  hand  in  preference 
to  other  kinds  lying  near. 

BIRDS  FEEDING  FROM  THE  HAND 


Name  of  Bird.              of  Recordt.                         Food  wed. 

Chickadee                              ( 

Red-breasted  nuthatch        I 

White-breasted  nuthatch     I 
Redpoll                                  ] 
Tufted  titmouse 

Whiskey  jack 
Evening  grosbeak 
Bluebird 
Chipping  sparrow                 ! 

>         Walnut,  beechnut,  nuts,  dough- 
nut-crumbs,     bread-crumbs, 
sunflower-seeds. 
t        Beechnuts,      doughnut-      and 
bread-crumbs. 
!         Walnuts,  nuts. 
Millet. 
Nuts. 
Fat. 
Bread. 
Not  recorded. 
Meal-worms  (in  spring). 
L        Bread-crumbs  "       " 

ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS  85 

Best  Foods.  —  A  study  of  these  various  ob- 
servations indicates  that  the  following  are  the  best 
foods  to  use  :  suet,  nuts,  sunflower-seeds,  cracked 
corn,  doughnut-crumbs,  bread-crumbs,  hemp,  dog- 
biscuit,  squash-seeds,  hay- seed,  Japanese  millet, 
bayberry.  The  fat  trimmings  from  beefsteak  may 
be  eaten  if  hung  up  in  trees.  Bones  as  they  are 
trimmed  out,  with  a  few  shreds  of  meat  and  fat 
attached,  may  serve  as  a  substitute  for  suet,  espe- 
cially if  they  are  cut  or  broken  open  so  as  to  expose 
the  marrow. 

Other  foods  which  have  been  reported  as  being 
eaten  are :  raw  pork-rinds,  meat-scraps,  which  had 
better  be  run  through  a  meat-chopper,  chaff  from 
barn-floor  or  hay-loft,  oats,  bird-seed,  buckwheat, 
boiled  potatoes,  and  rice. 

A  piece  of  carrion  hung  up  in  the  orchard  or 
edge  of  the  woods  may  serve  as  food  for  the  crows 
and  jays.  The  jays  are  also  fond  of  chestnuts  and 
corn.  When  the  ground  is  deeply  covered  with 
snow,  the  grain-eating  birds  may  have  difficulty 
in  securing  grit  which  is  needed  in  the  gizzard  for 
grinding  the  food.  To  supply  this  need,  coal-ashes 
or  sand  may  be  put  out. 

Time  to  begin.  —  It  is  important  that  the 
food  should  be  put  out  early,  even  by  the  latter 
part  of  October,  before  the  supply  of  natural  food 


86  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

becomes  scarce,  as  the  early  supply  may  induce 
some  birds  to  remain,  which  might  otherwise 
pass  on. 

The  food  should  also  be  supplied  with  reg- 
ularity, particularly  so  during  stormy  or  severe 
weather,  so  that  the  birds  may  be  able  to  find 
a  supply  at  all  times.  Care  should  be  taken,  in 
the  use  of  such  foods  as  decay  or  sour  easily,  to 
see  that  the  spoiled  food  is  removed  and  a  fresh 
supply  provided;  at  times  it  may  be  well  to  sup- 
ply water. 

Species  of  Birds  feeding.  —  From  the  re- 
cords which  have  been  available  to  the  author, 
the  foUowing  table  has  been  compiled  show- 
ing the  kinds  of  birds  which  have  eaten  the 
food  placed  on  or  near  buildings,  the  number  of 
times  recorded,  and  the  kinds  of  food  eaten  by 
the  species. 

The  table  includes  the  reports  of  forty-five  ob- 
servers, representing  fourteen  states,  chiefly  in 
the  northeastern  section  of  the  country.  The 
birds  are  arranged  in  the  order  of  the  frequency 
with  which  they  have  been  reported.  Of  the 
forty-three  species  here  included,  eighteen  have 
become  sufficiently  tame  to  feed  from  a  window 
and  eight  fed  from  the  hand. 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS 


87 


Bird 

| 

11 

Food  eaten 

Bird 

If 

H  Z 

Food  eaten 

Chickadee** 

28 

Squash-seed,  sun- 
flower-seed, meat, 

Tufted  tit- 
mouse** 

4 

Nuts,  fat  pork. 

fat  pork,  nuts, 

Flicker 

3 

Suet. 

corn,  suet, 

Screech  owl 

3 

Meat,  suet. 

crumbs,  dog-bis- 

White-throated 

3 

Crumbs,  Japan- 

cuit,  butternut, 

sparrow 

ese  millet. 

oats. 

Ruff  ed  grouse 

i 

Wheat,  oats. 

White-breasted 

27 

Sunflower-seeds, 

Mockingbird* 

2 

Bread,  milk. 

nuthatch** 

dog-biscuit, 

Quail 

2 

Grain,  chaff. 

squash-seed,  wal- 

Pine siskin 

2 

nut,  nuts,  fat 

Fox  sparrow* 

2 

Seed,  Japanese 

pork,  suet,  meat, 

millet. 

cracked  corn, 

White-crowned 

2 

Crumbs,  seed, 

butternut. 

sparrow* 

nuts. 

Downy  wood- 

25 

Suet,  meat,  and 

Myrtle  warbler 

3 

Suet. 

pecker* 

fat  pork. 

Red-bellied 

Blue  jay* 

18 

Dog-biscuit,  nuts, 
sunflower-seeds, 

woodpecker* 
Yellow-headed 

2 

meat,  suet, 

blackbird 

1 

Oats. 

cracked  corn, 

Clark's  crow 

Suet. 

crumbs,  chest- 

Goldfinch 

Sunflower-aeed.  . 

Junco* 

16 

nuts,  frozen  milk. 
Nuts,  dog-biscuit, 

Evening  gros- 
beak** 

seeds,  cracked 
corn,  crumbs,  mil- 

Pine grosbeak 
Rose-breasted 

Seeds. 

let,  suet. 

grosbeak 

Suet. 

Hairy  wood- 
pecker* 

13 

Fat  pork,  meat, 
suet. 

Whiskey  Jack** 
Oregon  Jay** 

Crumbs. 

Fat. 

Tree  sparrow* 

12 

Dog-biscuit,  chaff, 
millet,  suet, 

Golden- 
crowned 

crumbs,  cracked 
corn. 

kinglet 
Shore  lark 

Cracked  corn, 

Red-breasted 

11 

Suet,  meat. 

chaff. 

nuthatch** 

Gray-crowned 

Millet. 

Brown  creeper* 
Song  sparrow* 
Cardinal 

8 
7 
6 

Suet,  crumbs. 
Millet. 
Corn,  nuts,  seeds, 

rosy  finch 
Lapland  long- 
spur 

Cracked  corn, 
chaff. 

bread. 

Pheasant 

Grain. 

Crow 

5 

Crumbs,  fat,  suet. 

Starling 

Suet. 

Redpoll** 

4 

Millet,  seed. 

Hermit  thrush* 

Suet;  crumbs. 

Snow  bunting* 

4 

Dog-biscuit,  oats, 

Winter  wren 

cracked  corn, 

chaff. 

(Single  asterisk,  fed  from  window ;  double  asterisk,  fed  from  hand.) 

In  the  following  table  is  briefly  summarized 
the  number  of  species  which  have  been  reported 
as  feeding  upon  various  kinds  of  foods.  From  this 
it  will  be  observed  that  the  four  staple  articles  of 


88 


METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 


food  are  suet  and  fat,  nuts,  crumbs,  and  various 
kinds  of  seeds. 


Kind  of  Food 

No.  of  Species 
Eating 

Kind  of  Food 

No.  of  Species 
Eating 

Suet 

15 

Meat 

6 

Crumbs 
Nuts 

12 
10 

Dog-biscuit 
Chaff 

5 
4 

Corn 

8 

Oats 

3 

Millet 

8 

Sunflower-seeds 

3 

Seed3 

7 

Squash-seed 

2 

Fat  pork 

7 

Grain 

2 

From  tbese  reports  we  may  conclude  that,  to 
attract  the  downy  and  hairy  woodpeckers  and  the 
red-breasted  nuthatch,  we  must  depend  entirely 
on  animal  food,  while  for  the  chickadee  and  white- 
breasted  nuthatch,  a  great  variety  of  foods  may 
be  provided,  both  animal  and  vegetable.  For  the 
members  of  the  finch  family,  we  must  use  vege- 
table food  almost  entirely. 

Feeding  Spring  and  Summer  Birds.  —  If  food 
is  kept  out  during  the  early  spring,  even  after  the 
winter  birds  cease  to  use  it,  some  of  the  early  spring 
birds  may  come  to  feed  on  it.  The  following 
have  been  reported  as  doing  so :  Pine  warbler, 
blackbird,  catbird,  purple  finch,  robin,  bluebird, 
Baltimore  oriole.  In  a  number  of  cases  where 
food  was  kept  out  during  the  late  spring,  birds 
which  nested  in  the  vicinity  carried  this  food  to 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS  89 

their  young,  and  after  the  young  left  the  nest 
they  were  brought  there  to  feed.  This  has  been 
noted  of  the  catbird,  robin,  downy  woodpecker, 
titmouse,  and  bluebird.  A  number  of  observers 
have  found  that  by  keeping  out  food  constantly, 
birds  which  have  fed  during  the  winter  months 
have  remained  to  nest  either  in  bird-houses  or  in 
some  neighboring  site,  such  as  the  chickadee  and 
red-breasted  nuthatch.  One  observer  reports  that 
the  chickadees  feed  on  suet  more  or  less  all  the 
spring,  and  that  the  male  feeds  the  female  with 
it  while  she  is  on  the  nest.  Another  reports  that 
robins,  song  and  chipping  sparrows,  and  catbirds 
appropriated  suet,  and  catbirds  and  downy  wood- 
peckers used  it  to  feed  their  young. 

If  oats,  wheat,  or  cracked  corn  are  thrown  out 
during  the  spring  on  the  hard  ground  in  the  yard 
or  paths,  blackbirds,  thrushes,  and  sparrows  may 
be  attracted,  and  some  may  remain  to  nest  in  the 
vicinity. 

In  "  Bird-Lore,"  Dr.  Hodge  cites  an  instance 
in  which  a  pair  of  bluebirds  were  induced  to  nest 
in  a  particular  bird-house  by  being  fed  with  meal- 
worms. They  became  so  tame  that  both  fed  from 
the  hand  and  the  female  would  perch  upon  it. 
The  pair  nested  in  a  neighboring  house,  and  came 
daily  to  the  window-sill  for  food  till  the  first 
brood  left  the  nest.  A  full  account  of  this  very 


90  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

interesting  experience   is   given   in  volume  vi, 
number  2,  of  "  Bird-Lore." 

Method  of  putting  out  Food 
On  Tree-trunks.  —  There  is  a  great  variety 
of  ways  in  which  the  food  may  be  put  out,  de- 
pending upon  the  kind  of  food  and  the  habits  of 
the  bird  it  is  desired  to  attract.  Pieces  of  suet 
may  simply  be  nailed  to  tree-trunks,  but  as  this 
is  easily  broken  off  and  lost,  it  is  better  to  wind 
a  string  around  it,  or  place  a  piece  of  poultry-wire 
netting  over  it.  This  holds  it  in  place  much 
better  and  does  not  interfere  with  the  birds  in 
obtaining  it.  To  the  suet  thus  placed  may  come 
the  trunk-climbing  birds,  such  as  the  woodpeck- 
ers, nuthatches,  brown  creepers,  and  chickadees. 

Ground.  —  To  supply  seed-eating  birds,  a  bit 
of  ground  may  be  swept  clear  of  the  snow,  and 
chaff,  crumbs,  and  the  various  kinds  of  grains 
and  other  seeds  scattered  here.  To  this  may  come 
such  birds  as  the  sparrow,  junco,  snow  bunting, 
blue  jay,  and  quail.  This  food  may  be  protected 
as  shown  in  the  illustration.  A  large  brush-heap 
covered  well  with  evergreen  boughs,  with  grain 
thrown  under  it,  does  very  well. 

Tree-shelf.  —  The  plans  so  far  mentioned  are 
eery  simple  and  require  very  little  preparation  \  but 


SHELTER  FOR  BIRDS'   FOOD 

Fifteen  birds  feeding,  —  song  sparrows,  tree  sparrows,  juncos 


WINDOW   AND  MOVING   FOOD-SHELVES 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER   BIRDS  91 

it  is  well  worth  while  to  take  the  little  trouble  neces- 
sary to  prepare  a  special  kind  of  lunch-counter 
where  the  birds  may  be  assembled  and  studied 
more  closely.  In  its  simplest  form  this  may  consist 
of  a  board  attached  to  a  tree,  with  a  narrow  strip 
around  the  edge  to  prevent  the  food  from  being 
blown  off.  Small  holes  should  be  bored  in  this  to 
allow  the  water  to  drain  out.  This  may  be  placed 
at  first  at  a  little  distance  till  the  birds  become 
accustomed  to  coming  to  it,  and  then  brought 
gradually  nearer  the  house. 

Window  /Shelf.  —  The  shelf  may  be  placed  at 
a  window,  and  many  birds  will  become  so  tame 
that  they  will  feed  here  even  when  a  person  is 
sitting  by  the  window  inside.  This  shelf  should 
be  wide,  so  as  to  allow  room  for  a  number  of  birds  to 
dine  at  once.  If  covered  with  burlap,  the  small  seeds 
and  crumbs  will  blow  away  less  easily.  It  would 
doubtless  be  worth  while  to  arrange  some  kind  of 
awning  or  roof  over  this  to  keep  off  the  snow,  so 
that  the  birds  might  be  able  to  find  food  during 
the  storms.  The  combination  of  food  and  shelter 
would  evidently  offer  a  stronger  inducement  to 
the  birds  than  food  alone.  An  interesting  device 
is  to  attach  a  small  tree  to  the  shelf.  On  the 
branches  suet,  bones,  etc.,  may  be  fastened,  while 
any  kind  of  food  may  be  placed  on  the  shelf. 


92  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

This  arrangement  has  been  used  by  Mr.  Forbush 
with  great  success. 

Box.  —  An  open  box  with  a  strip  across  the 
lower  side  of  the  opening  may  be  placed  on  a  tree 
with  the  back  toward  the  stormy  winds.  Food 
may  be  kept  in  this  box,  which  will  also  serve  as 
a  shelter. 

Cocoanut.  —  Dr.  A.  K.  Fisher  writes  of  a  co- 
coanut  placed  in  one  of  the  trees  near  his  camp 
on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac  :  "  The  cavity  of  the 
cocoanut  is  filled  with  fresh  pork  and  the  fresh 
kernels  of  the  black  walnut.  Chickadees,  tufted 
titmice,  nuthatches,  downy  woodpeckers,  juncos, 
and  possibly  one  or  two  more  species,  take  their 
meals  at  this  restaurant  during  the  winter." 

Suet-box.  —  If  suet  is  placed  out  loose  without 
protection,  it  is  often  wasted  by  the  blue  jay  and 
other  larger  birds. 

The  description  of  the  following  ingenious 
device  for  preventing  the  waste  is  taken  from 
the  account  of  Mrs.  Rebecca  H.  Kauffman  in  the 
Illinois  "  Arbor  and  Bird-Day  Manual "  for  1908  : 

"  To  remedy  this  waste  of  suet,  the  other  mem- 
bers of  my  family  assisted  me  in  devising  a  suet- 
box.  It  is  made  of  half-inch  pine,  9  inches  long, 
6  inches  wide,  and  3  inches  high.  The  lid  is 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS  93 

hinged  on  with  leather  and  fastened  down  with 
a  leather  strip  in  which  a  slit  is  cut  fitting  over  a 
small  staple  driven  in  the  box.  The  lid  is  sawed 
out,  leaving  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  around 
its  outside  edge.  Into  this  edge  all  around,  about 
a  half-inch  apart,  are  driven  brads  an  inch  long. 
On  these  brads  from  side  to  opposite  side,  first 
across  the  length  and  then  across  the  width,  cord 
is  stretched.  The  common  cord  of  the  grocer  will 
do,  but  stronger  will  last  longer.  The  birds  sit 
anywhere  on  the  box  and  eat  through  the  inter- 
stices made  by  the  cross-cords.  A  new  bird  is 
a  little  shy  in  its  first  visits,  but  after  that  shows 
no  hesitancy  in  eating  all  it  wants.  The  box  is 
nailed  to  a  six-inch-wide  board,  and  that  to  a  stout 
strip  spiked  to  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  near  a  limb, 
so  that  the  birds  may  have  a  place  to  wait  while 
another  visitor  is  satisfying  its  hunger. 

"  I  leave  suet  in  the  box  all  the  summer.  The 
Baltimore  oriole  likes  it  greatly  and  likes  to  swing 
on  a  bit  if  it  gets  loose  on  a  string.  The  birds 
come  to  eat  it  while  nesting,  even  the  robin, 
and  sometimes  bring  their  young  to  feed  them  on 
it,  stuffing  a  morsel  down  the  throat  of  their  fluffy 
offspring." 

Moving  Shelf.  —  On  the  whole  the  most  satis- 
factory plan  which  the  author  has  tried  is  a  shelf 


94  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

moving  on  a  wire.  The  details  of  this  have  been 
worked  out  very  ingeniously  by  Master  Edward 
Uehling,  who,  at  the  time  this  work  was  done, 
was  a  boy  in  the  eighth  grade  of  school.  The 
author  was  closely  associated  with  him  in  this 
work  and  tried  a  similar  device  at  his  own  home. 
Some  of  the  most  successful  results  of  which  the 
author  has  known  in  this  latitude  resulted  from  this 
plan  as  worked  out  by  his  friend  during  the  winter 
of  1906  and  1907.  A  wire  was  put  up,  sloping 
from  a  second-story  window  to  a  tree  about  forty 
feet  distant.  On  this  wire,  by  means  of  two  pulleys 
set  in  a  frame,  was  suspended  the  lunch-counter 
partly  covered  with  bark.  In  one  corner  was  placed 
a  dish  for  holding  water.  To  this  frame  a  string 
was  attached  and  run  to  the  window.  The  slope 
of  the  wire  carried  the  counter  toward  the  tree, 
so  that  it  could  be  kept  in  any  desired  position 
along  the  wire.  On  this  were  placed  suet,  nuts, 
sunflower-seeds,  and  other  foods.  At  first  this  was 
allowed  to  remain  out  at  full  length  of  the  wire, 
touching  the  tree.  Tree-climbing  birds  soon 
found  this  and  came  regularly  to  feed  from  it. 
After  the  birds  had  become  accustomed  to  com- 
ing to  the  counter  in  this  position,  it  was  drawn 
up  a  little  nearer  each  day,  till  at  the  end  of  about 
a  month  it  had  been  pulled  to  the  window.  Those 
birds  which  at  first  came  to  it  continued  to  do  so 


ATTRACTING  THE   WINTER   BIRDS  95 

even  when  it  was  brought  up  near  enough  to  touch 
the  window.  A  shelf  had  meanwhile  been  fastened 
to  the  window,  and  henceforth  most  of  the  food 
was  placed  on  this,  although  some  food  was  kept 
on  the  ground  and  on  a  distant  shelf  for  those 
birds  which  would  not  come  to  the  window.  By 
Christmas-time  the  chickadees  had  become  so 
tame  as  to  feed  from  the  hand.  On  one  corner  of 
the  window  shelf  was  fastened  an  apple-tree  limb 
to  which  suet  was  nailed.  To  this  the  tree-climb- 
ing birds  came  at  once.  The  sides  of  the  moving 
counter  were  covered  with  bark  and  several  parti- 
tions were  made  of  bark.  This  helped  give  it  a 
natural  appearance  and  also  furnished  a  better 
means  of  support  to  which  the  tree-climbing 
birds  could  cling.  The  following  winter  a  roof 
was  placed  over  the  trough,  which  partially  pre- 
vented the  food  from  being  covered  over  by  snow 
during  storms. 

Advantages  of  the  Moving  Counter. — A 
moving  lunch-counter  has  several  advantages.  It 
is  easy  to  pull  in  the  counter  and  replace  the  food, 
especially  during  and  just  after  a  storm ;  it  fur- 
nishes an  opportunity  of  gradually  accustoming 
the  birds  to  the  nearness  of  buildings  and  people, 
till  they  may  feed  at  the  window,  where  their 
habits  may  be  studied  at  close  range.  It  furnishes 


96  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

complete  protection  from  the  attacks  of  the  crafty 
cat,  and  a  partial  protection  from  the  sparrows, 
which  avoid  it  unless  they  are  very  hungry. 

During  the  winter  seven  species  of  birds  fed 
from  the  counter  at  the  window-sill :  the  chicka- 
dee, white-breasted  nuthatch,  downy  woodpecker, 
brown  creeper,  blue  jay,  hermit  thrush,  and  myrtle 
warbler.  Photographs  were  secured  of  all  these 
species. 

As  an  illustration  of  what  happened  at  these 
lunch-counters  under  favorable  conditions,  may 
be  given  the  following  account  of  a  day  with  the 
birds,  in  which  the  author  and  Master  Uehling 
kept  watch  from  before  sunrise  till  after  sunset, 
recording  the  kinds  of  birds  coming  for  food,  the 
kinds  of  food  taken,  and  the  counter  from  which 
the  food  was  taken.  The  day  (February  9)  was 
cold  and  clear,  and  the  snow  deep.  Three  kinds 
of  food  were  used:  suet,  sunflower-seeds,  and 
bread-crumbs.  They  were  put  in  four  places: 
bread-crumbs  on  the  ground,  suet  and  bread- 
crumbs on  a  shelf  attached  to  a  tree  about  fifteen 
feet  from  the  house,  suet  and  sunflower-seeds  on  a 
shelf  at  the  window,  and  on  the  moving  counter, 
which  was  drawn  up  close  to  it.  Observations 
lasted  from  6  A.  M.  to  5  p.  M.  The  first  bird  came 
at  6.42,  and  the  last  at  4.33,  making  an  interval 
of  about  10  hours. 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS 


97 


A  WINTER  DAY  WITH  BIRDS 


•§ 

1 

Percentage  oi 
times  food 

Location  visited,  per 

1 

|3 

chosen 

NAME  OF  BIRD 

£ 

•~  £ 

fe 

£2. 

•8 

4 

II 

1 

ii 

1 

It 

§ 

11 

I 

Chickadee 

72 

126 

31 

69 

80 

19 

1 

Junco 

55 

179 

m 

2 

5 

93 

White-breasted  nut- 

hatch 

27 

31 

28 

72 

54 

46 

Blue  jay 
Hermit  thrush 

18 
16 

24 
16 

28 
31 

5(2) 
(2) 

9 

20 

27 
30 

64 

50 

Downy  woodpecker 
English  sparrow 
Brown  creeper 

6 
6 
2 

6 
9 

2 

100 
100 

(1) 

100 

9 

100 

91 

Total 

202 

393 

Average  per  hour 

20 

39 

(a)  This  distinction  between  these  two  columns  is  made  be- 
cause frequently  several  individuals  of  a  species  came  at  the 
same  time,  and  to  secure  the  figures  in  the  second  column,  the 
number  of  individuals  which  came  at  each  visit  was  counted. 

(1)  Only  bread-crumbs  were  eaten. 

(2)  The  remaining  food  was  bread-crumbs. 

(3)  At  some  time  during  the  winter  all  of  these  birds  came  to 
the  window  except  the  English  sparrow  and  junco. 

The  number  of  different  individuals  of  each 
species  was  estimated  to  be  approximately  as 
follows :  1  hermit  thrush,  1  or  2  creepers,  2  or  3 
woodpeckers,  4  to  6  nuthatches,  6  blue  jays,  10 
to  12  chickadees,  20  juncos. 


98  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Shelter.  —  Provision  should  also  be  made  for 
a  winter  shelter.  The  necessity  for  this  is  espe- 
cially emphasized,  particularly  in  the  northern 
tier  of  states  where  the  winters  are  severe.  These 
shelters  may  prove  especially  welcome  during 
storms,  but  may  also  be  used  as  a  roosting-plaee 
during  the  cold  winter  nights. 

Mrs.  Wright  writes  in  "  Bird-Lore  "  :  "  As  an 
experiment  I  have  tried  utilizing  boxes,  the  size 
that  holds  one  hundred  pounds  of  laundry  soap. 
On  the  front  of  the  box  a  rough  hood  is  fastened, 
with  a  drop  equal  to  half  the  height  of  the  box, 
and  perches  are  placed  across,  three  fourths  of 
the  way  up,  with  pegs  like  stairs  placed  at  inter- 
vals from  the  bottom  upward.  These  boxes  were 
placed  in  sheltered  places,  under  the  eaves  of  low 
buildings.  .  .  . 

"  The  first  season  they  were  unoccupied,  but  for 
two  years,  feathers  and  droppings  show  how  well 
they  have  been  appreciated  by  birds  of  many  kinds 
and  sizes,  and  this  season  I  am  thatching  two  of 
them  with  straw  to  make  the  shelter  more  snug 
and  attractive." 

Houses  which  are  intended  for  nesting  may 
serve  as  places  of  shelter  if  put  out  in  the  fall, 
and  may  possibly  be  the  means  of  inducing  some 
birds  to  remain  and  nest  in  them. 

Some  kinds  prefer  the  shelter  furnished  by  a 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS  99 

tangle  of  vines  and  bushes,  and  if  there  are  none 
of  these  on  the  place,  piles  of  brush  or  corn- 
stalks may  serve  as  a  shelter. 

Experiments  in  Germany 
Baron  von  Berlepsch,  who  has  experimented 
for  eleven  years  in  Germany,  says  that  three  con- 
ditions are  necessary  for  effective  feeding  of  win- 
ter birds.  "  The  sensible  and  effective  method  of 
feeding  birds  must  (1)  be  readily  accepted  by 
those  for  whom  it  is  intended ;  (2)  be  carried  out 
in  all  weathers :  that  is  to  say,  the  food  must  al- 
ways be  accessible  to  all  birds,  especially  in  the 
sudden  changes  of  the  weather,  blizzards,  winds, 
rain,  and  frost,  and  must  always  be  in  the  best 
condition  ;  (3)  it  must  be  comparatively  cheap  : 
that  is,  the  money  spent  on  the  food  must  really 
serve  its  purpose.  The  food  must  not  be  wasted 
or  spoiled,  but  must  be  used  by  the  birds  to  the 
last  crumb." 

Perhaps  the  chief  lesson  which  we  in  America 
have  to  learn  from  this  experiment  in  Germany 
is  to  make  more  adequate  provision  for  protecting 
the  food  put  out,  instead  of  allowing  it  to  be  open 
and  exposed  to  all  kinds  of  weather. 

Four  devices  for  feeding  birds  have  been  used 
by  Baron  von  Berlepsch:  the  " food-tree,"  " food- 
stick,"  "  food-house,"  and  "  food-bell." 


100          METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Food-tree.  —  The  food-tree  consists  of  a  coni- 
ferous tree  on  whose  branches  a  mixture  of  hot 
liquid  food  is  poured,  which  hardens  as  it  cools. 
The  chief  constituents  of  this  mixture  are  suet, 
hemp,  white  bread  (dried  and  ground),  meat, 
millet;  the  first  two  being  the  most  important. 
Small  quantities  of  other  materials  may  be  added, 
such  as  poppy-flour,  oats,  dried  elder-berries,  sun- 
flower-seeds, and  ants'  eggs.  The  quantity  of 
suet  used  is  about  one  and  a  half  times  that  of  the 
total  dry  food.  The  suet  is  melted,  and  the  other 
ingredients  stirred  in  with  it.  While  this  mixture 
is  boiling  it  is  poured  on  the  leaves  and  branches 
of  the  evergreen  tree,  the  aim  being  to  imitate 
a  twig  covered  with  insects'  eggs  and  larvae. 

Food-house.  —  The  food-house  is  a  device 
which  might  well  be  adopted  in  this  country.  The 
main  points  of  its  construction  are  shown  in  the 
cut.  This  may  serve  as  a  shelter  as  well  as  a  food- 
station.  There  is  a  narrow  strip  of  glass  just  under 
the  roof  on  three  sides.  The  purpose  of  the  glass 
is  to  protect  the  food  and  throw  light  on  the 
table,  whose  upper  edge  is  on  a  level  with  the 
support  which  holds  the  glass.  The  purpose  of 
the  lower  table  is  simply  to  attract  the  birds  till 
they  have  discovered  the  upper  table,  on  which 
the  food  is  kept  after  the  birds  once  begin  to  come. 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS 


101 


The  dimensions  of  the  food-house,  as  manu- 
factured in  Germany,  and  which  experience  has 
proved  to  be  the  best,  are :  width  from  post  to 


FEEDING-HOUSE 
(From  Berlepsch'a  "  Der  Gesamte  Vogelschuti  ") 

post,  four  feet  and  three  inches;  height  from 
ground  to  glass  strip  and  upper  edge  of  food- 
table,  four  feet  seven  inches;  width  of  upper 
food-table,  two  feet ;  the  space  between  the  food- 


102 


METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 


table  and  the  glass  strip,  fourteen  inches.  This 
house  will  present  a  more  natural  appearance 
if  several  evergreen  trees  are  pkced  near  it.  If 
some  of  the  branches  project  under  the  house 
they  may  serve  as  sleeping-places. 


Food-bell.  —  The  dimensions  of  the  food-bell 
shown  in  the  cut  are  as  follows :  food-dish  at 
bottom,  diameter  two  and 
a  quarter  inches,  depth  half 
an  inch ;  tube,  width  one 
and  a  quarter  inches;  food- 
receptacle,  contents  three 
and  a  half  pints;  and  the 
metal  bell,  diameter  one 
foot.  The  lower  edge  of 
the  tube  should  be  one 
sixteenth  inch  below  the 
upper  edge  of  the  food- 
dish,  and  the  upper  edge 
of  the  dish  one  sixteenth 
inch  higher  than  the  edge 
of  the  bell.  This  works 
automatically  as  long  as 
there  are  any  seeds  in  the  receptacle,  which  is 
made  of  glass,  thus  allowing  its  contents  to  be 
easily  watched.  It  is  filled  by  means  of  a  lid 
which  unscrews  from  the  top.  It  is  recommended 


FOOD-BELL 

(From  Berlepsch) 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS  103 

that  only  hemp-seed  be  used  in  this,  which  Baron 
von  Berlepsch  considers  is  one  of  the  best  foods 
for  seed-eating  birds.  In  order  first  to  attract 
the  attention  of  the  birds  to  this,  two  small  nets 
filled  with  nuts  or  other  food  are  hung  from  the 
inside  of  the  bell,  one  projecting  below  the  bell 
and  one  hanging  just  above  the  food-dish.  One 
especially  valuable  feature  about  this  is  that  it  is 
generally  avoided  by  sparrows. 

Difficulties 

The  same  two  difficulties  confront  us  here  as 
in  providing  nesting-houses,  the  cat  and  the  Eng- 
lish sparrow.  The  birds  may  be  easily  protected 
from  cats,  by  wrapping  a  piece  of  tin  or  zinc 
around  the  tree  below  the  food ;  by  putting  the 
window-shelf  at  a  second-story  window;  or  by 
suspending  the  counter  from  a  wire  as  explained 
on  page  94. 

English  Sparrow.  —  The  sparrow  problem, 
however,  is  not  so  easily  solved.  In  one  way  the 
difficulty  is  not  so  acute  as  with  the  nesting- 
houses,  where  two  birds  cannot  occupy  the  same 
apartment ;  for  it  is  possible  to  furnish  food  for 
both  the  sparrows  and  other  birds,  but  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact  experience  shows  that,  where  the 
sparrows  congregate  in  large  flocks,  as  is  their- 
custom,  the  other  birds  keep  away. 


104  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Suet  on  Branches.  —  A  simple  and  somewhat 
effective  device  for  keeping  the  sparrows  away 
from  suet  is  to  fasten  it  on  the  under  side  of  a 
limb,  so  large  that  the  sparrows  cannot  stand  on 
the  upper  side  and  reach  it.  If  the  limb  does 
not  slope  more  than  forty-five  degrees  from  the 
vertical,  the  tree-climbing  birds  will  have  little 
trouble  in  getting  at  it,  while  the  sparrows  will 
be  quite  nonplussed. 

Moving  Counter.  —  For  other  kinds  of  birds, 
some  kind  of  moving  counter  seems  to  offer  the 
best  protection.  Three  winters  ago  the  author's 
yard  was  so  monopolized  with  a  flock  of  English 
sparrows,  that  practically  no  other  birds  came  to 
the  food  kept  out.  About  the  middle  of  the  winter 
a  lunch-counter  was  attached  to  a  wire  and  sus- 
pended from  a  tree.  The  result  was  immediate 
and  gratifying.  The  sparrows  left  at  once  and 
•were  hardly  seen  around  again  during  the  winter, 
•while  several  of  our  native  birds  came  freely  to 
it.  The  author  rejoiced,  thinking  that  at  last  he 
had  solved  the  sparrow  problem ;  but  the  experi- 
ences of  the  following  winter  showed  that  no  such 
simple  device  would  long  outwit  such  a  crafty 
pest  as  the  sparrow.  By  this  time  the  sparrows 
had  become  accustomed  to  it  and  came  quite 
freely  to  it.  On  another  side  of  the  house  a 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS  105 

counter  was  suspended  from  a  wire  running  from 
a  tree  to  a  second-story  window.  About  halfway 
between  these  two  was  placed  a  stationary  counter; 
the  author  thought  that,  by  supplying  the  spar- 
rows with  sufficient  food  at  this  counter,  they 
might  be  tempted  to  leave  the  moving  counters 
alone  and  allow  the  other  birds  to  come  to  them. 
This  surmise,  however,  proved  only  partly  correct; 
for  while  the  sparrows  would  eat  from  the  sta- 
tionary counter,  in  preference  to  the  others,  they 
would  eat  and  waste  such  an  enormous  quantity 
of  food,  that  even  if  the  counter  were  heaped  up 
with  food  in  the  morning,  in  a  few  hours  it  would 
be  all  gone,  and  then  they  would  turn  their 
attention  to  the  other  counters. 

But  during  the  first  part  of  the  season  they  did 
not  often  come  in  large  numbers  to  the  counter 
suspended  from  the  wire.  This  was  hung  on  only 
a  single  pulley,  so  that  it  was  easily  moved,  being 
in  almost  constant  motion;  and  when  the  wind 
blew  strongly,  the  motion  was  accompanied  by  a 
creaking  of  the  wire.  When  this  was  out  at  some 
distance  from  the  house,  a  few  sparrows  came 
to  it,  but  as  it  was  brought  nearer  it  was  less 
frequented  by  them  during  the  first  part  of  the 
winter ;  but  when  the  heavy  snows  covered  most  of 
their  ordinary  supply  of  food,  they  came  in  large 
numbers  to  both  moving  counter  and  window. 


106  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Even  to  the  stationary  counter  some  of  our  more 
common  native  birds  came  quite  regularly,  but 
not  often  when  the  sparrows  were  there,  although 
occasionally  sparrows  and  other  birds  were  seen 
feeding  together. 

Several  observers  have  reported  that  the  fol- 
lowing kind  of  shelf  is  visited  by  our  native  birds, 
but  not  by  the  sparrows :  A  board  is  hinged  to  the 
window-sill  and  from  the  outer  edge  a  string  is 
run  to  the  top  of  the  window  with  a  light  spring 
between.  Other  observers  have  reported  that  the 
sparrows  use  it,  and  such  has  been  the  author's 
experience.  Thus,  while  the  moving  counter  is 
not  entirely  successful,  it  seems  to  offer  a  partial 
solution  of  the  difficulty. 

Trapping  the  Sparrows.  —  But  probably  the 
only  permanent  solution  lies  in  destroying  the 
sparrows,  by  trapping,  poisoning,  or  shooting. 
Mrs.  Bonner  reports  in  "Bird-Lore"  that  the 
following  device  for  trapping  has  proved  very 
successful.  A  large  wire  rat-trap  was  secured,  the 
kind  that  has  the  funnel-shaped  entrance,  the 
small  end  of  the  funnel  pointing  inward.  On  the 
floor  of  the  trap  were  sprinkled  grain  or  crumbs 
or  any  suitable  bird-food,  and  a  little  more  was 
sprinkled  on  the  ground  leading  to  the  trap.  In 
this  the  sparrows  were  caught  and  then  drowned. 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS          107 

Under  a  later  date  Mrs.  Bonner  writes  that  this 
method  can  be  used  successfully  only  at  inter- 
vals, as  the  birds  soon  "  catch  on." 

In  a  recent  Farmers'  Bulletin  is  given  the  fol- 
lowing suggestion  :  To  trap  the  sparrows  a  large 
shallow  box  is  made  open  on  one  side  and  covered 
on  the  other  with  woven  netting.  The  dimensions 
may  be  about  4  feet  square  and  6  inches  deep. 
On  a  board  a  little  larger  than  the  box  is  placed 
grain  to  serve  as  a  bait.  Over  this  is  placed  the 
box  tipped  up  on  one  edge  and  held  up  by  a  stick 
18  inches  long,  to  the  upper  end  of  which  is 
attached  a  long  string.  The  birds  are  fed  here 
till  they  become  accustomed  to  it  and  then  are 
trapped  by  pulling  out  the  support  by  means  of 
the  string.  Through  a  small  trap-door  in  the  floor 
the  sparrows  may  be  allowed  to  fall  into  a  pail 
containing  sufficient  water  to  drown  them.  In 
place  of  the  box,  some  heavy  object  may  be  used, 
such  as  an  old  door,  to  serve  as  a  deadfall. 

Poisoning  the  Sparrows.  —  During  the  winter 
the  sparrows  may  be  poisoned,  if  care  is  taken  to 
see  that  no  other  birds  eat  the  poisoned  food. 
That  they  can  be  kept  in  check  by  systematic 
poisoning  is  shown  by  the  experience  of  Mr. 
Frank  Bond,  while  a  resident  of  Cheyenne,  Wyo- 
ming. Each  winter  a  regular  campaign  was  waged 


108  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

and  the  numbers  of  the  sparrows  were  so  reduced 
that  they  did  not  interfere  with  the  breeding  of 
the  native  birds,  which  increased  greatly  in  num- 
bers with  the  growth  of  trees  and  parks.  At  the 
close  of  the  winter's  work  there  were  never  left 
more  than  thirty  or  forty  sparrows,  and  some- 
times even  fewer.  Mr.  Bond  has  kindly  contrib- 
uted the  following  note  regarding  his  experiences : 

"  I  used  whole  wheat,  well  poisoned,  as  fol- 
lows :  Take  one  dram  of  strychnine  crystals 
(usually  sold  in  one-dram  bottles)  and  thoroughly 
dissolve  in  one  quart  of  water  by  boiling,  using 
boiling  water  to  begin  with.  A  much  more  expe- 
ditious way  would  be  to  first  dissolve  the  strych- 
nine in  an  ounce  or  two  of  boiling  vinegar,  then 
add  to  the  boiling  water  and  boil  well.  Then  add 
the  wheat,  enough  to  have  the  same  just  covered 
by  the  'hell-broth,'  set  away  until  the  water  is 
entirely  absorbed.  The  wheat  will  swell  greatly. 
Then  take  out  and  dry  carefully.  I  put  the  grain 
into  a  large  dripping-pan,  preparing  several 
quarts  at  a  time,  and  put  into  a  warm  oven  stir- 
ring constantly  to  prevent  scorching  until  per- 
fectly dry.  The  grain  will  return  to  normal  size 
and  color,  and  one  grain  will  kill  an  English 
sparrow  in  three  minutes,  often  before  it  gets 
even  into  the  crop. 

"I  scattered  this  grain  sparingly  where  the 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS          109 

birds  fed,  about  stables  where  there  were  no 
chickens  or  pigeons,  and  especially  about  the 
grain-cars  in  the  railroad  yards  which  continually 
leaked  wheat,  oats,  etc.  On  days,  especially  early 
mornings,  after  a  fresh  fall  of  snow  I  gathered 
in  the  little  pests  by  the  hundred. 

"  Of  course  I  was  authorized  by  the  city  gov- 
ernment to  carry  on  this  work  as  I  wished,  but  in 
the  larger  cities  difficulty  will  be  experienced 
in  getting  permission  to  use  the  poisoned  grain. 
I  believe,  however,  that  care  in  its  distribution 
would  render  its  use  in  the  large  cities  perfectly 
harmless  to  every  bird,  except  the  English  spar- 
row, because  the  well-known  habit  of  the  species 
suggests  the  method.  Every  person  who  sees  the 
sparrow  at  all,  sees  it  at  work  upon  the  scattered 
piles  of  excrement  distributed  everywhere  by  the 
horse,  sorting  out  and  devouring  with  great  rel- 
ish the  undigested  grain,  chiefly  oats.  A  thimble- 
ful of  poisoned  wheat  dropped  upon  each  small 
manure-pile  in  both  the  business  and  suburban 
sections,  during  the  winter  when  forage  is  scarce, 
would  probably  in  the  large  cities  like  Washing- 
ton, kill  from  five  to  twenty  birds.  In  studying 
the  matter  here,  I  am  sanguine  that  with  a  few 
careful  men  to  help,  at  least  90  per  cent  of  the 
pests  in  this  city  could  be  killed  within  a  month 
and  at  the  rate  of  somewhere  between  10,000  and 


110  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

25,000  per  day,  until  their  numbers  became 
greatly  reduced.  But,  alas!  we  are  not  allowed 
to  use  the  grain,  and  there  is  no  other  way. 

"  I  left  Cheyenne  six  years  ago,  and  I  under- 
stand no  one  has  carried  on  the  work  I  handled 
alone  for  many  years,  and  the  sparrows  have  be- 
come a  nuisance  there  as  elsewhere.  But  while 
the  English  sparrows  were  killed  off,  the  moun- 
tain bluebird  and  the  house  finch  were  among  the 
most  common  bird-box  occupants." 

In  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  Dr.  Hodge  has 
been  able  to  keep  the  number  of  sparrows  re- 
duced during  the  winter,  by  using  poisoned 
wheat. 

The  following  directions  are  taken  from  his 
"  Nature  Study  and  Life  " :  "  My  own  formula  is 
as  follows :  Dissolve  one  eighth  of  an  ounce  of 
powdered  strychnine  sulphate  in  one  half  pint 
of  boiling  water.  Pour  this  while  hot  over  two 
quarts  of  wheat  (or  cracked  corn),  stir  well,  and 
continue  stirring,  from  time  to  time,  till  the  liquid 
is  absorbed.  Dry  thoroughly,  without  scorching, 
and  put  away  in  some  safe  receptacle,  labeled, 
'Poisoned  Grain,  Strychnine.' 

"  It  requires  but  one  kernel  to  kill  a  sparrow. 
A  quart  of  wheat  contains  about  23,000  kernels, 
and  the  sparrows  seldom  take  more  than  two  or 
three.  Expose  the  grain  where  poultry  and  tame 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS  111 

pigeons  cannot  get  it,  and  by  operating  only 
during  the  winter  there  will  be  no  danger  of 
poisoning  seed-eating  wild  birds,  at  least  for  all 
Northern  towns  and  cities.  By  taking  advantage 
of  the  sparrow's  gregarious  habits  and  the  fact 
that  they  drive  off  other  birds  from  localities 
where  they  are  numerous,  much  might  be  done 
even  in  the  South. 

"  Sparrows  are  such  suspicious  and  cunning 
birds,  that,  if  the  strychninized  grain  be  exposed 
at  first,  they  will  probably  roll  each  kernel  in 
their  bills,  taste  it,  reject  it,  and  possibly  refuse 
to  touch  it  again  that  winter.  The  best  way  is  to 
select  a  place  where  the  wind  is  not  likely  to  scat- 
ter it  away,  a  walk,  a  driveway,  or  porch-roof 
with  a  smooth  surface,  so  that  the  grain  may  be 
swept  up  after  each  trial.  Accustom  them  to 
feeding  there  daily  with  grain  exactly  like  that 
which  is  medicated  (I  often  do  this  for  a  week, 
or  even  a  month,  until  all  the  sparrows  in  the 
neighborhood  are  wont  to  come  regularly),  study 
the  times  when  they  come  for  their  meals,  and 
then  on  a  cold,  dry  morning  after  a  heavy  snow- 
storm, having  swept  up  all  the  good  grain  the 
morning  before,  wait  until  they  have  gathered, 
and  then  put  down  enough  strychninized  grain 
to  feed  the  whole  flock.  You  have  about  ten 
minutes  before  any  begin  to  drop,  and  those 


112  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

that  have  not  partaken  of  the  grain  by  this  time 
will  probably  be  frightened  off ;  but  by  timing 
it  properly  I  have  repeatedly  caught  every  spar- 
row in  the  flock.  I  have  found  morning  the  best 
time,  as  they  all  come  then  ;  and  it  is  essential  to 
success  to  select  a  dry  day,  since  in  wet  weather 
they  taste  the  strychnine  too  easily ;  I  have  seen 
them  actually  throw  it  out  of  the  crop. 

"With  this  simple  method  at  command,  by 
concerted  action  a  few  friends  of  our  native  birds 
can  rid  any  Northern  city  of  the  sparrow-pest  in 
a  single  winter.  This  is  no  more  than  parents 
ought  to  do  for  the  sake  of  the  native  birds,  and 
if  not  for  their  sake,  at  least  to  clear  the  way  for 
the  children  to  do  effective  work  in  their  behalf." 

In  a  Farmers'  Bulletin  on  "  How  to  Destroy  the 
English  Sparrow,"  an  even  stronger  solution  of 
poison  is  recommended :  "  Put  one  eighth  ounce 
of  strychnia  sulphate  into  three  fourths  of  a  gill 
of  hot  water  and  boil  until  dissolved.  Moisten  1^ 
teaspoonfuls  of  starch  with  a  few  drops  of  cold 
water,  add  it  to  the  poison  solution,  and  heat  till 
the  starch  thickens.  Pour  the  hot  poisoned  starch 
solution  over  1  quart  of  wheat  and  stir  till  every 
kernel  is  coated.  Small-kerneled  wheat  sold  as 
poultry-food  is  preferable  to  first  quality  grain, 
being  cheaper  and  more  easily  eaten  by  the  spar- 


ATTRACTING  THE  WINTER  BIRDS          113 

Feeding  the  Shy  Birds.  —  The  directions  given 
so  far  provide  for  the  feeding  of  birds  which  may 
be  attracted  around  our  homes,  but  those  which 
remain  at  a  distance  are  just  as  much  in  need  of 
protection.  But  while  the  first  method  of  attract- 
ing birds  may  be  carried  on  by  an  individual,  in 
order  that  the  second  method  may  be  at  all  effect- 
ive it  is  necessary  that  there  shall  be  cooperation 
of  a  large  number  of  people. 

Organization.  —  The  following  method  of 
organization,  as  reported  in  "  Bird-Lore "  by 
E.  H.  Baynes,  has  been  successfully  used  in 
several  towns.  A  meeting  is  called  by  some  en- 
thusiasts for  those  interested  in  this  line  of  work, 
effort  being  made  to  interest  the  school-children 
and  those  engaged  in  school  work.  At  this  meet- 
ing the  need  of  feeding  the  birds  should  be 
explained  and  then  committees  appointed  to  look 
after  the  various  details.  One  committee  may 
look  after  the  matter  of  securing  food  by  direct 
contributions  of  food,  or  money  to  buy  it,  in 
which  feature  of  the  work  the  school-children 
may  prove  a  great  help.  Another  committee  may 
be  appointed  to  find  volunteers  to  distribute  the 
food.  Boys  from  the  upper  grades  or  high 
school  may  prove  good  helpers.  After  the  first 
heavy  snowstorm  the  volunteers  meet  and  divide 


114  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

into  squads  and  assign  the  territory  to  be  covered 
by  each.  Besides  the  grain  and  suet  to  be  used 
for  food,  there  will  be  need  of  snow-shovels  and 
string.  In  localities  selected  for  feeding-places 
the  snow  is  cleared  from  spaces  10  to  20  feet 
square  and  the  grain  scattered  here.  The  suet 
is  tied  to  the  branches  of  trees  and  the  string  is 
wound  around  it  several  times.  In  this  way  a 
number  of  feeding-stations  may  be  established 
and  kept  supplied  with  food.  The  best  feeding- 
places  may  be  found  in  the  open  fields  where 
they  will  be  easily  seen.  After  every  storm  the 
snow  should  be  cleared  from  these  stations  and 
a  new  store  of  food  provided.  And  it  may  be 
necessary  to  distribute  a  fresh  supply  between 
the  storms  in  case  these  are  separated  by  more 
than  a  week. 


CHAPTER  IV 

DRINKING-   AND    BATHING-FOUNTAINS 

Need  of  Water.  —  "Water  in  large  quantities 
is  a  necessity  for  bird  life.  Especially  during  hot 
weather  do  the  birds  require  a  large  and  constant 
supply,  at  a  time  when  frequently  the  small  pools 
or  other  common  sources  of  supply  may  be  en- 
tirely dry.  In  winter,  snow  may  serve  as  a  sub- 
stitute ;  and  in  summer,  dew  and  juicy  food  may 
furnish  some  of  the  necessary  water ;  but  these 
at  best  only  partially  provide  the  needed  supply, 
which  can  be  adequately  furnished  only  by  pools 
or  streams,  and  more  especially  when  the  birds 
use  the  water  for  bathing  as  well  as  drinking. 

During  the  dry  part  of  the  summer  birds  must 
often  find  it  difficult  to  secure  sufficient  water, 
and  this  must  be  particularly  true  of  young  birds 
just  learning  to  fly  and  unable  to  go  on  long 
journeys  in  search  of  water.  To  just  what  extent 
this  is  a  factor  in  the  mortality  of  birds,  it  is 
impossible  to  say,  but  that  at  times  it  may  be  a 
contributing  factor  there  can  be  no  doubt.  The 
unusual  places  to  which  the  birds  have  been 


116  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

observed  to  come  for  water  indicate  the  straits  to 
which  they  are  at  times  driven. 

In  case  one  has  a  brook  or  pond  near,  there 
will  not  exist  the  need  of  furnishing  drinking- 
fountains  to  save  the  birds  from  thirst ;  but  these 
natural  drinking- places  are  often  surrounded 
with  shrubs  or  tall  grasses  which  furnish  a  lurk- 
ing-place for  cats,  so  that  a  fountain  may  be  so 
arranged  as  to  be  better  protected  from  the  birds' 
enemies,  and  this  will  furnish  opportunity  for 
watching  more  closely  the  birds  that  come  to  it. 

Essentials  of  Fountains.  —  The  two  essentials 
to  be  considered  in  providing  fountains  are  the 
depth  of  water  and  the  location  of  the  fountain. 
The  water  should  be  very  shallow.  In  most  orna- 
mental fountains  the  water  is  deep,  and  the  sides 
so  slippery  that  the  birds  are  afraid  to  enter. 
The  proper  depth  is  about  two  inches  in  the 
deepest  part,  in  the  centre ;  and  from  there  it 
should  gradually  slope  to  about  a  half -inch  at 
the  edge.  Care  should  also  be  taken  that  the 
edge  of  the  fountain  is  of  roughened  material  so 
that  the  birds  will  not  slip. 

Location.  —  In  deciding  upon  the  location, 
the  important  matter  to  consider  is  protection 
from  cats.  When  the  birds'  feathers  are  wet  they 


DRINKING-  AND  BATHING-FOUNTAINS       117 

fly  with  difficulty,  and  are  easily  caught.  The 
fountain  may  be  constructed  in  the  ground,  but 
if  so,  there  should  be  no  bushes  near,  from 
which  skulking  cats  can  jump  out  at  the  birds 
while  they  are  bathing. 

Fountains  on  Lawn.  —  In  the  illustration  is 
shown  the  drinking-fountain  on  the  lawn  of  Mr. 
C.  D.  Brown,  of  Rutherford,  N.  J.  Mr.  Brown 
writes  of  it :  "  All  of  the  vegetation  is  contained 
in  a  portable  wooden  box  six  inches  deep,  and 
consists  of  hardy  marsh  perennials  secured  from 
the  Hackensack  Meadows.  In  spring  the  robins 
sometimes  steal  the  mud  for  their  nests  so  fast 
that  the  roots  of  the  cat-tail,  marsh-mallows,  iris, 
foxtails,  etc.,  are  often  exposed."  Of  a  similar  one 
on  his  own  place,  Mr.  Chapman  says,  in  "  Bird- 
Lore,"  that  it  met  with  the  approval  of  most  of 
the  birds  in  the  vicinity  of  his  house  and  was 
patronized  even  by  screech-owls.  "  It  is  made  of 
bricks  and  ce- 
ment, and  in 
cross-section  re- 
sembles the  ap- 
pended diagram. 

"  Boards  may  be  used  to  form  partitions,  which 
should  be  filled  with  earth.  The  plants  intro- 
duced were  sagittaria,  iris,  yellow  pond-lily,  wild 


118  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

rice,  duckweed,  and  water-hyacinth.  The  pond  is 
filled  with  a  hose  and  is  replenished  as  evapora- 
tion requires." 

A  bird-bath  on  the  grounds  of  Mrs.  W.  M.  R. 
French,  of  Beverly  Hills,  Illinois,  is  described  as 
follows  by  Mr.  Robert  W.  Hegner  in  "  Bird-Lore  ": 
"  A  shallow  hole  was  dug,  two  feet  wide,  three  feet 
long,  and  eight  inches  deep.  This  was  lined  with 
small  cobblestones  laid  in  cement.  The  end  away 
from  the  water-tap  was  made  lower  than  the  upper 
end,  and  the  superfluous  water  ran  down  a  slight 
incline  to  the  roots  of  a  large  oak  tree.  Every 
day  throughout  the  summer  a  swift  stream  of 
water  was  turned  on  from  the  garden-hose,  which 
effectually  cleaned  the  tub  and  left  a  clear,  cool 
supply  for  thirsty  birds.  Blue  jays,  catbirds,  blue- 
birds, robins,  and  wrens  at  once  took  possession, 
and  not  only  were  visitors  but  built  their  nests 
in  the  trees  and  bushes  about  the  yard." 

A  large  garden  urn  which  stood  on  Mrs.  French's 
lawn  also  served  as  a  bathing-  and  feeding-place 
for  birds. 

The  following  description  of  a  bird-bath  is 
furnished  by  Orpheus  M.  Schantz  of  Illinois  :  — 

"I  dug  a  circular  hole  20  inches  deep  by  33 
inches  in  diameter  in  a  corner  of  the  lawn.  I  filled 
the  hole  to  within  about  8  inches  of  the  top  with 
cinders;  next  I  put  in  a  couple  of  inches  of 


BIRD  FOUNTAIN 


SCHOOL-YARD   BIRD  FOUNTAIN 

Passaic,  N.  J. 


•'•  r 

A    BIRDS'    BATH   ON   A   LAWN 


DRINKING-  AND  BATHING-FOUNTAINS      119 

coarse  sand  and  cement,  and  on  top  of  that 
another  layer  of  fine  sand  and  cement,  which,  in 
the  absence  of  a  trowel,  I  smoothed  out  with  my 
hands.  The  finished  bath  is  about  33  inches 
across,  with  a  rim  about  2  inches  wide  and  about 
one  inch  below  the  level  of  the  surrounding 
sod. 

"  When  the  bath  is  filled,  the  water  in  the 
centre  is  about  three  inches  deep  and  slopes  grad- 
ually to  the  rim." 

Pans  for  Fountains. — If  one  has  the  use  of 
running  water,  there  will  be  little  trouble  in  pro- 
viding a  constant  fresh  supply.  But  simple  and1 
effective  bird-baths  may  be  made  of  almost  any 
shallow  receptacle,  such  as  large  flower-pot  saucers, , 
pans  of  various  kinds,  wash-boiler  covers,  etc; 
Sand  and  gravel  should  be  placed  in  these,  so  as 
to  give  a  range  of  depth  of  water  from  about  a 
half-inch  at  the  edge  to  about  two  in  the  centre. 
Or  shelving  rocks  may  be  placed  in  the  basin ; 
these  would  render  easier  the  change  of  water, 
which  should  be  renewed  each  day,  and  would 
furnish  a  standing  place  for  the  birds  which  is 
better  than  the  smooth  edge  of  the  pan.  These 
pans  may  be  fastened  in  the  crotch  of  a  tree,  or 
placed  on  a  post  or  window-sill,  high  enough  to  be 
out  of  the  reach  of  cats.  It  is  preferable  to  place 


120  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

it  where  it  will  be  somewhat  shaded  to  prevent 
the  water  from  getting  too  warm. 

Dr.  Hodge's  Fountain.  —  Dr.  Hodge  contrib- 
utes the  following  description  of  his  very  suc- 
cessful and  artistic  fountain  at  Worcester.  The 
fountain  in  the  school-yard  shown  in  the  illustra- 
tion is  of  the  same  type. 

"  The  bird-fountain  is  the  one  great  and  per- 
ennial source  of  pleasure  to  ourselves  and  the 
birds.  It  draws  all  the  birds  within  a  radius  of  sev- 
eral blocks  to  our  garden.  Sometimes  there  will 
be  30  or  40  of  several  different  species  about  the 
fountain,  bathing  or  drinking  or  awaiting  their 
turns.  I  have  photographs  which  caught  8  within 
range  of  the  focus  at  the  same  snap.  If  there  was 
room  for  but  one  thing  in  my  yard,  it  would  have 
to  be  a  bird-fountain.  My  fountain  is  constructed 
of  the  roughest  rocks  obtainable,  laid  up  in  Port- 
land cement  so  as  to  give  deep  chinks  and  holes 
wherever  possible  for  the  mosses,  lichens,  liver- 
worts, sundews,  ferns,  and  all  manner  of  wild  flow- 
ers on  and  planted  around  it ;  that  is,  a  columnar 
heap  of  weathered  rocks,  held  firmly  by  cement, 
which  either  does  not  show,  or  is  blackened  by 
mixing  with  lampblack  so  as  to  be  inconspicuous. 
It  has  a  bowl,  about  six  inches  in  diameter  and 
an  inch  deep,  into  which  the  water  leaps  in  a  purl- 


DRINKING-  AND  BATHING-FOUNTAINS     121 

ing  stream.  This  is  about  four  feet  from  the 
ground.  From  this  the  water  falls  about  a  foot 
into  the  main  bathing-bowl,  about  eighteen  inches 
in  diameter,  built  up  with  thin  flat  stones  around 
the  edge  of  a  large  flat  stone.  It  is  shallow  at  the 
edges  all  around  and  six  inches  deep  in  the  centre, 
but  is  filled  with  sand  and  fine  gravel,  crushed 
stone,  etc.,  so  as  not  to  be  more  than  four  inches 
deep  in  the  centre.  The  water  falls  from  this  into 
a  still  larger  pool  which  partially  encircles  the 
base  of  the  fountain,  and  which  is  a  foot  deep  in  the 
middle  and  shallow  at  the  edges.  It  can  contain 
water-lilies,  pitcher-plant,  cat-tails,  and  arrow- 
wort,  and  is  overhung  by  gentians  and  cardinal 
flower,  ferns  and  iris,  jack-in-the-pulpit  and  blood- 
root.  It  can  all  be  arranged  to  have  the  music  of 
running  water  with  a  very  small  stream. 

"  The  idea  as  it  has  taken  shape  in  my  mind  is 
to  have  a  pile  of  natural  rocks  which  hold  pools 
of  musical  water,  the  whole  set  in  a  bosky  dell  of 
natural  wild  flowers  to  make  the  birds  feel  at 
home.  A  woodland  spring  is  the  type,  in  rocky 
ledges.  True  to  nature  throughout.  Nothing  pro- 
duces the  complete  harmony — birds,  wild  flowers, 
mosses,  ferns,  rocks,  trees  —  like  the  bosky-dell, 
woodland-spring  idea.  It  is  restful  and  beautiful 
enough  to  be  the  reason  of  its  own  being  in  and  of 
itself,  even  if  the  birds  do  not  add  their  charms." 


122  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Floating  Bath.  —  The  author  has  seen  the 
suggestion  that  floating  basins  may  be  placed  in 
ponds  where  the  conditions  around  the  edge  are 
such  that  the  birds  do  not  frequent  them.  This 
basin  should  be  shallow  and  may  be  kept  afloat 
by  a  wide  wooden  rim.  No  record  has  been  found 
of  the  trial  of  a  basin  of  this  kind,  so  the  author 
does  not  know  how  effective  this  would  be. 

As  food  kept  out  in  the  spring  may  be  a  means 
of  inducing  birds  to  nest  in  the  neighborhood, 
so,  too,  drinking-fountains  may  help  in  bringing 
about  the  same  results. 

Visitors  at  Fountains.  —  The  number  of  birds 
that  visit  a  fountain  during  a  season  is  very 
large.  The  number  which  will  occupy  bird-houses 
is  comparatively  small,  limited  by  the  natural 
nesting-habits  of  the  birds ;  the  number  that  may 
be  attracted  by  winter  feeding  is  larger,  but  still 
limited  to  those  birds  which  have  the  ability  to 
withstand  our  cold  weather ;  the  number  that  may 
be  attracted  by  fountains  is  still  larger,  there 
being  the  possibility  of  enticing  birds  from  the 
three  great  groups  of  migrants,  summer  residents, 
and  permanent  residents.  One  observer  reports 
that  69  different  species  of  birds,  many  rare 
warblers  and  migrants  among  them,  came  in  one 
season  to  drink  from  a  basin  on  a  suburban  lawn. 


CHAPTER   V 

PLANTING   TREES,    SHRUBS,    AND    VINES 

FOR  one  who  owns  a  farm,  or  a  place  with  fair- 
sized  grounds,  on  which  he  expects  to  live  for  a 
number  of  years,  perhaps  no  greater  returns  in 
bird-life  will  be  given  than  from  a  proper  plant- 
ing of  trees,  shrubs,  and  vines.  A  treeless  and 
shrubless  locality  means  a  more  or  less  birdless 
locality.  These  are  essential  to  furnish  nesting- 
sites  and  shelter  for  most  of  our  common  birds. 
These  plantings  may  serve  a  threefold  purpose  — 
to  furnish  shelter,  nesting-sites,  and  food  for  the 
birds  —  in  addition  to  serving  their  purpose  of 
ornamentation. 

Plants  for  Shelter.  —  While  all  trees  furnish 
some  shelter  for  birds,  the  coniferous  trees  are 
specially  valuable  for  this  purpose  on  account  of 
the  retention  of  their  foliage  during  the  cold 
months,  which  furnishes  some  protection  against 
the  winter  storms,  and  serves  as  a  favorite  roost- 
ing-place  during  the  long  cold  nights.  Wind- 
breaks of  any  kind  of  trees  may  also  serve  as 
shelter.  And  the  smaller  plants,  too,  such  as 


124  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

tangles  of  shrubs  and  vines,  furnish  retreats  for 
many  of  the  smaller  birds  when  pursued  by  hawks ; 
and  serve  as  shelter  for  winter  birds. 

Plants  for  Nesting-sites.  —  While  occasion- 
ally some  birds  seem  to  show  a  preference  for 
some  particular  kind  of  tree  or  shrub  in  which  to 
place  their  nests,  usually  it  is  a  question  of  the 
general  locality,  with  its  surroundings  and  the 
food  and  protection  given,  which  decides  the  bird 
in  its  selection  of  a  nesting-site.  So  that  those 
plants  which  will  best  serve  the  purpose  of  food 
and  shelter  will  also  furnish  nesting-sites.  A  num- 
ber of  trees  and  tangles  of  shrubbery,  thickly  over- 
grown with  vines,  furnish  the  needed  conditions 
for  nesting-sites,  provided  the  other  factors  are 
favorable. 

In  selecting  trees  we  should  not  forget  the 
elm,  from  whose  graceful  limbs  the  oriole  so 
often  hangs  its  swinging  nest.  If  hedges  are 
substituted  for  fences  they  may  furnish  nesting- 
sites,  and  at  the  same  time  serve  as  a  means  of 
ornamentation. 

Experiments  in  Germany.  —  Baron  von  Ber- 
lepsch  has  carried  on  some  very  successful  experi- 
ments in  Germany  in  planting  shrubs  and  trees 
to  serve  especially  as  nesting-sites.  In  his  shelter 


PLANTING  TREES,  SHRUBS,  AND  VINES     125 

woods  the  area  is  first  planted  to  shrubs,  with 
trees  scattered  through  them.  These  are  allowed 
to  grow  for  a  few  years,  and  then  cut  hack 
and  pruned  so  as  to  make  whorls  of  branches  to 
furnish  foundations  for  nests.  In  the  wood  at 
Seebach,  this  treatment  has  proved  eminently  suc- 
cessful, as  large  numbers  of  birds  nest  in  these 
growths,  locating  their  nests  chiefly  in  these 
whorls.  In  a  similar  way  evergreens  and  avenues 
of  trees  are  pruned  to  form  whorl-shaped  rami- 
fications. Bushes  with  small  stems  are  tied  to- 
gether to  form  crotches,  and  out  of  fifty  bushes 
thus  tied,  forty-seven  were  occupied  the  first  year. 
The  Baron's  experiences  all  indicate  that  the 
number  of  nesting  birds  may  be  largely  increased 
by  furnishing  suitable  crotches  and  nesting-places 
in  shrubs  and  trees.  It  is  certainly  worth  while 
to  experiment  along  these  lines  in  tangles  of 
shrubbery,  by  pruning  the  bushes  or  tying  them 
together  so  as  to  form  crotches  available  for 
nesting-sites. 

Plants  for  Foods.  —  In  selecting  our  plants 
the  question  of  food  should  receive  first  consid- 
eration. Some  of  our  birds  feed  quite  largely  on 
fruits  in  their  season,  and  a  large  number  of 
them  select  fruits  as  a  small  part,  at  least,  of 
their  diet.  The  essential  features  regarding  the 


126  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

fruit  diet  of  birds  are  condensed  into  the  accom- 
panying table.  This  shows  the  kind  of  fruit 
eaten  and  the  birds  which  feed  upon  the  various 
kinds. 

The  table  has  been  compiled  largely  from  the 
studies  on  the  food  of  birds  made  by  the  Bio- 
logical Survey  of  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture,  but  any  other  reliable  records  to 
which  the  author  has  had  access  have  also  been 
used,  as  Weed  and  Dearborn's  "  Birds  in  Their 
Relation  to  Man,"  and  Dr.  Hodge's  "Food  Chart 
of  Our  Common  Birds."  Messrs.  E.  H.  Forbush 
and  F.  E.  L.  Beal  have  both  contributed  to  the 
chart.  A  letter  F  placed  in  a  column  signifies  that 
this  food  is  eaten  by  the  bird  in  question.  A 
double  FF  indicates  that  the  fruit  forms  an  im- 
portant article  of  food.  As  far  as  data  have  been 
available,  the  total  percentage  of  the  entire  food 
which  the  wild  and  cultivated  fruits  form  has 
been  given. 

In  the  table  the  birds  and  fruits  are  arranged 
alphabetically.  Following  that,  is  a  list  of  fruits 
arranged  according  to  the  number  of  species 
of  birds  which  eat  them,  and  then  a  list  of  birds 
according  to  the  numbers  of  species  of  fruit 
upon  which  they  are  known  to  feed. 


Chart  of  Fruits 
Eaten  by  Birds 

F  =  An  item  of  Food 
FF  =  An  important  item  of  Food 
The  figures  indicate  per  cent  of  food 

Ash,  Mountain 

>> 

1 

H 

Bayberry 

Bittersweet 

Blackberry 

Blueberry 

Buckthorn 

1 

jt 

1 

pq 
£ 

o 

M 

Cranberry,  Bush  1 

Creeper,  Virginia  1 

Dogwood 

t 

1 

2 
£ 

Blackbird^  Crow 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

Blackbird,  Red-winged 

F 

F 

F 

Bluebird 

F 

F 

F 

F 

Bobolink 

Cardinal 

FF 

4 

F 

Catbird 

F 

Cedarbird 

FF 

F 

F 

r 

F 

Chickadee 

FF 

Crow 

F 

F 

F 

F 

Cuckoo,  Black-billed 

Cuckoo,  Yellow-billed 

Finch,  Purple 

FF 

F 

Flicker 

F 

F 

FF 

F 

F 

F 

Grosbeak,  Pine 

F 

F 

Grosbeak,  Rose-breasted 

F 

FF 

F 

F 

F 

F 

FF 

Jay,  Blue 

F 

Junco 

F 

F 

Kingbird 

F 

F 

F 

Oriole,  Baltimore 

F 

F 

F 

Oriole,  Orchard 

F 

F 

Phcebe 

F 

F 

Quail 

F 

F 

Sparrow,  Fox 

F 

F 

F 

F 

"          Song 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

Tree 

F 

F 

F 

"           White-crowned 

F 

F 

"          White-throated 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

Swallow,  Bank 

F 

«         Tree 

F 

Tanager,  Scarlet 

F 

Thrasher,  Brown 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

Thrush,  "Wood 

F 

F 

Yireo,  Red-eyed 

F 

F 

F 

»      White-eved 

F 

Warbler,  Myrtle 

FF 

F 

F 

Woodpecker,  Poxvnv 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

Hairy 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

Yellow-bellied 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

=? 

o 

I 

s 

O 

>> 

I 

Hawthorn 

1 

1 

i 

i  Juneberry 

® 
>-5 

1  Mulberry 

I 
1 

P 

| 

n  Raspberry 

1 

n  Smilax 

Spicebush 

Spikenard,  False 

Strawberry 

i  Sumac 

Viburnum 

r 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

FF 

F 

F 

12 

FF 

F 

F 

FF 

F 

FF 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

4 

F 

F 

F 

V 

F 

F 

F 

FF 

F 

3 

F 

FF 

, 

F 

FF 

F 

F 

F 

FF 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

. 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

1.6 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

FF 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

r 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

F 

June-berry 


Juniper 


FRUITS  VALUABLE  AS  BIRD-FOOD 
(Drawn  by  B.  H.  Forbuah) 


128 


METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 


LIST  OF  FRUITS  EATEN  BY  BIRDS 


K«ne 

No.  of  specie* 
of  birds  eating 

Date  in  fruit 

Blackberry 

30 

July 

Mulberry 
Elderberry 
Black  cherry 

28 
27 
21 

June  and  July 
August  and  September 
August  and  September 

Raspberry 

20 

July 

Blueberry 
Dogwood 
Pokeberry 

19 
19 
17 

July  and  August 
August  and  September 
September 

Strawberry 

17 

June  and  July 

Red  cedar 

16 

October  —  all  winter 

Sumac 

16 

August  —  all  winter 

Bayberry 

15 

All  winter 

Wild  grape 

15 

September  to  November 

Juneberry 

15 

June 

Choke  cherry 

14 

July  and  August 

Smilax 

13 

September 

Virginia  creeper 

12 

October 

Juniper 

12 

October 

Huckleberry 

11 

July 

Mountain-ash 

10 

September  —  all  winter 

Buckthorn 

10 

August 

Sour  gum 

10 

October 

Hackberry 

10 

September  and  October 

Viburnum 

10 

September  and  October 

Barberry 
Holly 

9 

7 

September  —  all  winter 
All  winter 

Spice-bush 

6 

September 

Bittersweet 

5 

July 

Hawthorn 

5 

September 

Bush-cranberry 
Euonymus 

4 

4 

September  and  October 
October 

Partridgeberry 

3 

October 

Sarsaparilla 
False  spikenard 

3 

2 

July  and  August 
September 

PLANTING  TREES,  SHRUBS,  AND  VINES     129 


LIST  OF  BIRDS  ARRANGED  ACCORDING  TO  THE  NUM- 
BER OF  SPECIES  OF  FRUIT  EATEN 

(Figures  indicate  per  cent  of  total  food) 


Name 

No.  of  spe- 
cies of  fruit 
eaten 

Percentage  of  food 

Vegetable 

Wild 
fruit 

Cultivated 
fruit 

Robin 

32 

58% 

47% 

4% 

Flicker 

28 

307 

207 

I7 

Crow 

25 

57 

12 

4 

Bluebird 

23 

24 

18 

Ruffed  grouse 

23 

89 

28 

Cardinal 

20 

71 

24 

Cedar-bird 

20 

87 

74 

13 

Quail 

20 

84 

47 

4 

Kingbird 

18 

10 

10 

Dowuy  woodpecker 
Hairy  woodpecker 
Yellow-bellied  woodpecker 

18 
18 
17 

25 
31 
50 

10 
11 
26 

Blue  jay 
Crow  blackbird 

16 
15 

76 
70 

11 

2 

3 

Catbird 

15 

56 

33 

17 

Rose-breasted  grosbeak 
White-throated  sparrow 

12 
12 

48 
81 

19 
25 

Brown  thrasher 

12 

36 

8 

Song  sparrow 
Baltimore  oriole 

11 

8 

66 
16 

Red-winged  blackbird 

6 

73 

Fox  sparrow 
Wood  thrush 

6 
6 

86 

28 

Orchard  oriole 

5 

Phoebe 

5 

7 

7 

Red-eyed  vireo 

5 

Junco 

4 

78 

2 

Tree  sparrow 

4 

98 

Scarlet  tanager 
Myrtle  warbler 

4 
4 

Purple  finch 
Pine  grosbeak 

3 
3 

Chickadee 

2 

White-crowned  sparrow 
Tree  swallow 

2 
2 

75 

5 

White-eyed  vireo 
Bobolink 

2 
1 

43 

Black-billed  cuckoo 

1 

Yellow-billed  cuckoo 

1 

Bank  swallow 

1 

130  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

These  tables,  of  course,  are  incomplete  and  do 
not  tell  the  whole  truth  regarding  the  fruit  diet  of 
the  birds,  but  simply  summarize  the  results  of  ob- 
servations and  investigations  as  far  as  the  records 
have  been  available.  The  records  could  be  ex- 
tended and  the  author  would  gladly  welcome  any 
additional  data  so  as  to  make  them  as  complete 
as  possible. 

A  complete  list  of  fruits  eaten  by  some  of  the 
birds  would  probably  include  nearly  the  whole 
range  of  wild  fruits ;  but  in  addition  to  the  list 
already  given,  there  are  some  other  fruits  which 
birds  have  been  known  to  eat :  sweet  gum,  rose, 
poison  ivy,  nightshade,  sassafras,  dewberry,  bear- 
berry,  crow-berry,  black  alder,  wintergreen,  gray 
birch,  oaks,  pines,  and  moonseed. 

Relation  of  Birds  and  Fruits. —  The  brilliant 
colors  of  the  wild  fruits  which  warm  the  autumn 
and  winter  landscapes,  and  the  extent  to  which 
birds  feed  upon  these,  suggest  one  of  nature's 
great  economies.  In  somewhat  the  same  way  that 
insects  are  attracted  to  flowers  by  their  bright 
colors  and  strong  odors,  to  secure  their  nectar 
and  pollen  for  food,  and  then  distribute  the  pollen 
to  other  flowers,  so  there  is  something  of  the  same 
relation  between  birds  and  fruits.  The  birds  are 
attracted  to  the  shrubs  by  the  bright  colors  of 


PLANTING  TREES,  SHRUBS,  AND  VINES     131 

the  fruits,  to  secure  the  fleshy  mass  as  food ;  and 
in  many  cases  the  seeds  are  carried  a  considerable 
distance  and  then  left  in  various  ways ;  either  by 
being  dropped  accidentally  or  ejected  from  the 
mouth  or  crop,  or  by  being  unaffected  by  the 
digestive  juices  as  they  pass  through  the  aliment- 
ary canal,  so  that  they  still  retain  their  vitality 
after  being  ejected.  Opportunity  is  thus  given 
the  plant  to  germinate  its  seeds  under  favorable 
conditions  at  a  distance  from  the  parent  plant, 
and  thus  its  range  is  extended.  There  is  undoubt- 
edly much  to  be  learned  along  this  line  from  a 
field  study  of  the  food-habits  of  birds  during  the 
autumn  and  winter. 

An  examination  of  these  lists  of  birds  and  fruits 
gives  some  idea  of  the  variety  of  fruit  eaten  by 
various  birds  ;  and  the  columns  in  the  table  show- 
ing the  percentage  of  wild  and  cultivated  fruit  give 
an  idea  of  the  quantity  of  fruit  eaten.  In  general 
those  birds  which  eat  the  greatest  variety  of  fruit 
are  the  ones  which  eat  the  largest  quantities.  Thus 
a  comparison  of  these  two  features  may  give  one  a 
fairly  good  idea  regarding  the  birds  that  will  be 
attracted  by  various  fruits. 

Most  Desirable  Fruits. — It  is  a  matter  of 
quite  common  observation  that  on  the  whole  the 
best  single  tree  to  plant  is  the  mulberry,  either  the 


132  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

white  or  Russian,  although  the  variety  seems  to 
make  but  little  difference.  It  begins  to  bear  early, 
and  its  fruit-bearing  season  is  well  prolonged. 
Among  the  vines  it  is  noted  that  the  Virginia 
creeper  is  a  favorite.  Prof.  H.  A.  Surface  writes  : 
"  If  we  should  be  obliged  to  make  a  selection  of 
only  four  of  these,  it  would  be  as  follows  :  (1)  an 
early  sweet  cherry,  (2)  the  service-(June-)berry, 
(3)  the  mulberry,  (4)  the  Virginia  creeper." 

From  a  study  of  the  column  showing  when  the 
various  fruits  ripen,  one  may  select  such  a  series 
as  to  give  a  succession  of  fruits  through  the  whole 
season,  beginning  in  the  spring  and  extending 
even  through  the  winter. 

Plants  for  Ornamentation. — The  plants  which 
we  set  out  to  attract  the  birds  may  also  serve  the 
purpose  of  ornamentation.  Among  our  vines 
the  Virginia  creeper,  which  is  a  favorite  with  the 
birds,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  vines 
for  decorative  effects.  Shrubs  may  be  chosen 
which  hold  their  berries  during  the  winter,  thus 
furnishing  the  birds  with  food  when  it  is  specially 
welcome  and  also  adding  greatly  to  the  winter 
landscape  by  their  bright  and  attractive  colors. 
Some  of  the  shrubs  which  carry  their  fruits 
through  a  part  or  the  whole  of  the  winter  are 
holly,  barberry,  bayberry,  mountain-ash,  black 


PLANTING  TREES,  SHRUBS,  AND  VINES     133 

alder,  greenbrier,  red  cedar,  sumac,  hackberry, 
bittersweet,  burning  bush. 

Protection  of  Cultivated  Fruits.  —  For  the 
fruit-grower  the  planting  of  the  proper  trees  and 
bushes  for  food  may  fulfill  a  very  practical  pur- 
pose, because  these  wild  fruits  will  serve  as  a  pro- 
tection for  the  cultivated  fruits,  as  the  birds  which 
sometimes  eat  cultivated  fruit  will  usually  take 
the  wild  in  preference ;  and  furthermore  while 
the  birds  are  eating  this  fruit  they  will  also  feed 
upon  the  injurious  insects  which  may  be  near. 
It  is  important  therefore  to  the  fruit-grower  that 
he  should  make  a  selection  of  those  fruits  which 
will  begin  to  ripen  a  little  before  the  cultivated 
fruit  he  wishes  to  protect,  and  remain  in  fruit  till 
these  have  all  been  picked. 

The  larger  fruits,  such  as  apples,  pears,  and 
peaches,  are  not  injured  to  any  great  extent  by 
the  birds.  The  smaller  fruits,  such  as  cherries, 
strawberries,  raspberries,  and  blackberries,  are  the 
ones  which  may  sometimes  be  destroyed  by  them. 
To  protect  cherries  and  strawberries,  one  may 
plant  Russian  mulberry  and  June-berry.  Mr.  For- 
bush  thinks  that  the  Charles  Downing  mulberry 
is  even  better  than  the  Russian,  as  a  tree  to  at- 
tract birds  and  keep  them  away  from  the  cherries. 
It  is  a  quick  grower.  The  fruit  is  highly  colored, 


1S4  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

large,  very  early,  and  edible  for  man.  He  writes 
that  where  the  harder  varieties  of  cherries  are 
grown  near  these  trees,  the  birds  do  not  seem  to 
trouble  the  cherries  at  all. 

As  another  method  of  protecting  fruit,  on  the 
side  of  the  orchard  or  strawberry -patch  one  may 
plant  a  row  of  some  soft,  sweet,  early  variety,  to 
be  left  unpicked  purposely  for  the  birds,  which 
seem  to  prefer  those  varieties  to  those  which  man 
deems  more  valuable. 

Mr.  G.  T.  Powell  planted  a  row  of  Governor 
Wood  cherries  along  one  side  of  his  orchard, 
especially  for  the  birds,  and  notes  the  following 
results :  "  I  have  now  bird-cherries  by  the  bushels 
to  spare,  and  the  birds  are  working  on  them,  but 
leaving  untouched  my  choice  varieties,  such  as 
the  Montmorency  and  Richmond.  These  I  am 
now  selling  at  an  extra  price,  because  they  are 
entirely  uninjured,  while  my  neighbors,  who 
have  not  provided  for  the  birds,  are  forced  to 
sell  their  cherries  at  a  discount  because  they  are 
injured." 

To  protect  raspberries  and  blackberries,  one  may 
plant  mulberry,  choke  cherry,  and  elder.  Some 
early,  sweet  variety  of  these  berries  may  also  be 
left  as  suggested  for  cherries  and  strawberries. 
Grapes  may  be  protected  by  planting  elder,  Vir- 
ginia creeper,  and  black  cherry. 


PLANTING  TREES,  SHRUBS,  AND  VINES     135 

Annuals.  —  There  are  also  some  annuals  which 
may  be  grown  to  attract  birds.  A  row  of  sun- 
flowers at  the  back  of  the  garden  may  be  visited 
by  goldfinches  or  others  of  the  finch  family.  Gold- 
finches may  also  eat  the  seeds  of  the  blue  corn- 
flowers. The  hummingbird  may  be  attracted  by 
bright  flowers  with  deep  tubes.  The  bird  prefers 
either  red  or  orange  flowers.  Some  of  its  favorite 
flowers  among  wild  plants  are  coral  honeysuckle, 
painted-cup,  columbine,  jewel-weed,  Oswego  tea, 
cardinal-flower;  and  among  cultivated  plants, 
columbine,  scarlet  salvia,  trumpet-creeper,  bee- 
balm,  nasturtium,  gladiolus,  horse-chestnut. 

The  following  interesting  account  is  given  in 
"  Bird-Lore,"  by  Caroline  G.  Soule :  Humming- 
birds were  frequent  visitors  to  the  flowers  of  a 
trumpet-creeper  situated  near  a  house.  An  imita- 
tion flower  was  made  by  painting  a  piece  of  paper 
and  bending  it  into  the  required  shape.  Inside 
of  this  was  placed  a  small  bottle  filled  with  sugar 
and  water.  This  artificial  flower  was  tied  to  the 
vine  and  was  visited  at  once  by  the  birds,  and 
indeed  such  preference  was  shown  for  it  that  it 
was  necessary  to  fill  the  bottle  twice  a  day.  On 
one  occasion  the  bird  came  to  this  artificial  flower 
while  it  was  held  in  the  hand. 


CHAPTER   VI 

BIRD-PROTECTION   IN    SCHOOLS 

Values  of  Bird-study.  —  The  values  of  bird* 
study  in  its  influence  on  child-life  are  many. 
It  has  a  practical  value  in  showing  the  great 
economic  service  which  birds  render  man,  as  a 
result  of  which  knowledge  the  child  will  become 
a  more  serviceable  citizen  ;  it  has  a  training-value 
in  teaching  the  child  to  become  an  accurate  ob- 
server, as  a  result  of  which  his  later  mental  de- 
velopment will  be  more  complete ;  it  has  a  very 
distinct  aBsthetic  value,  as  a  means  of  arousing 
an  interest  in  nature,  which  may  form  a  life-long 
source  of  enjoyment,  in  which  respect  it  is  ex- 
celled, perhaps,  by  no  other  subject  in  its  pos- 
sibilities ;  and  finally  the  study  of  bird-life  has  a 
moral  value  in  broadening  the  sympathies  of  the 
child  and  developing  a  spirit  of  kindness  and 
thoughtfulness  toward  all  living  things.  A  sub- 
ject full  of  such  possibilities  is  certainly  worthy 
of  more  than  passing  notice  in  our  school  system. 

Bird-protection.  —  To  interest  the  children 
in  birds  is  also  the  most  permanent  way  of  fur* 


BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  137 

thering  bird-protection.  One  may  almost  say  that 
only  through  instruction  in  the  schools  will  eventu- 
ally come  that  enlightened  public  opinion  which 
will  insure  permanent  and  effective  bird-protec- 
tion. The  necessity  of  having  bird-study  gen- 
erally introduced  into  the  schools,  as  a  part  of 
nature-study,  cannot  be  too  strongly  emphasized. 
The  importance  of  this  is  recognized  by  such  or- 
ganizations as  the  Audubon  Societies,  which  are 
doing  a  splendid  educational  work.  The  protec- 
tion of  our  native  birds  is  an  economic  question 
of  such  importance  that  our  school  system  must 
be  utilized  to  solve  the  problems  which  arise  in 
this  connection.  In  the  hands  of  the  school- 
teacher lies  the  solution  of  this  and  other  eco- 
nomic problems  of  the  day.  The  children  should 
be  taught  the  value  of  birds  and  encouraged  to 
protect  them.  This  may  be  accomplished  in  a 
positive,  not  a  negative  way ;  that  is,  the  children 
are  to  be  taught  not  merely  that  they  must  not 
injure  the  birds  and  rob  their  nests,  but  also  that 
they  are  to  do  something  for  the  birds,  —  protect 
them,  feed  them,  build  houses  for  them,  and  be 
kind  to  them. 

The  Child's  Activities.  —  One  of  the  most 
effective  phases  of  nature-study  is  that  which  calls 
into  play  the  manual  activities  of  the  child  in 


138  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

providing  for  himself  opportunities  for  making 
studies  of  the  life  around  him.  This  principle  of 
utilizing  the  child's  activities  is  one  that  is  well 
understood  and  applied  in  the  kindergarten,  but 
too  little  employed  in  later  years.  It  will  prove 
a  most  effective  instrument  to  be  used  with  the 
children  when  circumstances  allow.  Bird-study 
is  specially  well  adapted  to  make  use  of  these 
activities  in  building  bird-houses  for  winter  pro- 
tection and  spring  nesting,  and  lunch-tables  for 
feeding  the  winter  birds,  and  in  providing  drinking 
fountains.  The  very  fact  that  the  child  is  doing 
something  for  the  birds  is  a  means  of  developing 
that  helpful  sympathy  with  nature  which  may 
prove  such  an  important  factor  in  all  his  subse- 
quent life.  And,  furthermore,  an  excellent  op- 
portunity is  offered  for  training  the  perceptive 
powers  of  children  by  watching  the  birds  that 
may  come  in  response  to  the  attractions  offered. 
These  observations  will  be  carried  on  with  much 
greater  ardor  and  thoroughness  because  the  child 
has  himself  helped  to  furnish  the  conditions 
which  make  his  observations  possible. 

Building  Nesting-houses 
Manual    Training.  —  The    construction    of 
these  houses  and  lunch-counters  may  be  carried 
on  at  the  home,  or  it  may  naturally  be  correlated 


CHILDREN  OF   LINCOLN1  SCHOOL,  PASSAIC,  N.  J., 
WITH  BIRD-HOUSES 


BIRD-HOUSES   MADE   BY  CHILDREN   OF   PUBLIC   SCHOOL  No.  6, 
BRONX,    NEW   YORK  CITY 


BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  139 

with  the  work  in  manual  training,  as  is  being 
done  in  some  cities.  Mr.  Finley,  a  field-agent  of 
the  Audubon  Societies,  writes  from  Oregon : 
"  We  have  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  bird-study 
worked  up  in  various  schools  about  the  state. 
Wherever  there  is  a  manual-training  school  they 
are  making  many  bird-houses."  Superintendent 
Alderman,  of  Eugene,  Oregon,  writes  that  while 
he  was  county  school  superintendent  of  Gamhill 
County  he  encouraged  the  children  of  the  manual- 
training  department  to  build  bird-houses,  which 
they  did  to  the  extent  of  over  one  thousand. 
With  reference  to  the  work  in  Eugene  he 
writes :  "Asa  result  of  a  little  encouragement, 
the  children  brought  in  for  inspection  334  bird- 
houses.  They  filled  three  rooms  of  the  Eugene 
High  School.  Almost  every  yard  has  a  bird- 
house  in  it  now.  Birds  build  in  most  of  the 
houses.  The  notes  the  children  kept  of  the  selec- 
tion of  the  house,  etc.,  were  made  the  basis  of 
the  language  work.  The  children  were  warned 
not  to  let  the  English  sparrow  build  in  the 
houses.  The  following  birds  built  in  the  child- 
ren's houses :  violet-green  swallow,  bluebird, 
wren,  chickadee.  The  civilizing  effect  of  bird- 
study  upon  the  children  is  at  once  evident.  It 
is  the  finest  training  in  observation  that  I  know 
of." 


140  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

In  the  School  of  Education  of  Chicago  Uni* 
versity,  a  new  method  was  adopted  in  the  clay- 
work  department,  of  modeling  bird-houses  from 
clay,  the  work  being  done  by  the  children  in 
the  sixth  grade.  (See  description,  page  22,  and 
illustration  opposite  page  22.) 

But  whether  the  work  is  done  in  the  manual- 
training  department  or  not,  there  will  be  little 
difficulty  in  arousing  the  interest  of  the  children 
sufficiently  so  that  they  will  build  bird-houses  and 
bring  them  to  school  for  inspection.  The  matter 
may  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  children 
early  in  the  winter,  because  the  houses  may  serve 
as  a  shelter  for  the  winter  birds ;  but  the  children 
will  probably  be  more  enthusiastic  in  the  early 
spring,  when  there  is  a  more  immediate  prospect 
that  the  houses  will  be  occupied. 

Method  in  the  Schoolroom.  —  The  subject 
should  be  introduced  by  a  general  discussion  of 
those  birds  which  nest  in  hollow  trees  or  other 
cavities.  The  children  should  be  asked  to  search 
the  neighborhood  to  ascertain  to  what  extent 
those  natural  nesting-sites  can  be  found.  In  many 
localities  these  have  been  entirely  cleared  away 
in  the  development  of  the  land  for  real-estate 
purposes,  and  thus  may  be  urged  the  necessity 
of  building  bird- houses  if  we  would  keep  up  the 


BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  141 

numbers  of  these  birds.  The  problems  which  arise 
in  connection  with  the  construction  and  location 
of  bird-houses  should  be  talked  over  with  the 
children  and  the  important  precautions  to  be  ob- 
served explained  as  discussed  in  Chapter  n.  The 
really  essential  features  having  been  made  clear, 
the  children  should  be  allowed  to  use  their  in- 
genuity and  individuality  about  arranging  other 
details. 

Difficulties.  — The  children  should  understand 
the  difficulties  to  be  met,  so  as  to  avoid  undue 
disappointment,  and  should  be  prepared  to  over- 
come them  so  far  as  possible.  The  greatest  ob- 
stacle of  all  will  be  the  English  sparrow.  Some 
devices  which  may  assist  in  keeping  this  bird 
away  have  been  discussed  in  Chapter  n,  the  most 
effective  one  of  which  is  to  make  the  hole  so 
small  that  the  sparrows  cannot  enter,  but  large 
enough  for  the  wren  and  chickadee.  With  blue- 
birds' and  tree  swallows'  houses  probably  the  most 
effective  thing  which  the  children  can  do  is  to 
make  the  houses  so  that  the  top  may  be  easily 
lifted,  and  then  to  remove  the  eggs  of  the  spar- 
row once  a  week  or  as  fast  as  they  are  laid.  But 
in  no  event  should  the  sparrow  be  allowed  to 
rear  young.  If  nothing  else  can  be  done,  the 
entrance  holes  should  be  covered,  or  the  house 


142  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

taken  down,  as  soon  as  it  is  evident  that  no  other 
bird  is  going  to  use  the  house.  Of  course  kill- 
ing the  sparrows  cannot  be  recommended  to  the 
children.  Whatever  is  done  in  this  line  must  be 
left  to  the  adults. 

If  the  school  building  is  favorably  located, 
houses  should  be  put  up  in  the  school-yard. 
These  should  be  of  types  adapted  to  the  different 
species  of  birds,  so  as  to  attract  as  many  kinds  as 
possible.  If  these  are  occupied,  opportunity  will 
be  furnished  the  whole  school  for  bird-study. 

It  would  be  well  worth  while  to  see  if  the  park 
boards  would  not  cooperate  with  the  schools,  so 
that  the  children  might  make  a  large  number  of 
houses  and  place  them  in  the  parks.  In  the  spring 
of  1906  such  a  plan  was  tried  in  Jackson  and 
Washington  parks,  Chicago,  the  children  making 
several  hundred  bluebird  and  wren  houses. 

If  the  children's  bird-houses  at  home  are  occu- 
pied, they  should  be  encouraged  to  make  frequent 
reports  on  what  they  observe.  The  children  should 
be  strongly  cautioned  not  to  examine  the  houses 
closely  after  the  birds  once  begin  to  build,  be- 
cause they  are  easily  frightened  away.  The  teacher 
should  not  ask  for  any  observations  which  require 
a  close  examination  of  the  house  during  this 
period.  After  the  young  are  hatched,  the  box  may 
be  inspected  more  closely,  but  the  young  should 


BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  143 

not  be  handled.  The  children  will  be  so  anxious 
to  report  that  they  will  not  need  much  encourage- 
ment, but  some  directions  may  be  given  to  guide 
their  observations.  The  following  suggestions  for 
studying  bird-tenants  are  given  in  "Bird-Lore," 
by  Mr.  T.  Gilbert  Pearson,  who  has  charge  of 
the  department  "  For  Young  Observers  "  :  — 

"  If  those  young  observers  who  put  out  bird- 
boxes  this  spring  will  watch  closely,  they  may  see 
many  new  and  delightful  things  happen  when  the 
birds  come  to  make  their  nests  in  them.  Let  me 
suggest  that  each  of  you  have  a  note-book  and 
keep  a  diary  of  what  takes  place  about  the  bird- 
box.  "When  you  once  begin  this,  there  will  be  so 
many  things  to  write  down  that  you  will  find  it 
hard  to  know  just  what  to  include  in  your  notes. 
In  order  to  guide  those  who  may  be  interested  in 
keeping  a  note-book,  I  am  going  to  ask  some 
questions,  which,  if  you  can  answer  correctly  at 
the  end  of  the  summer,  will  show  that  you  have 
made  a  good  study  of  the  birds  you  have  been 
watching.  With  this  information  all  carefully 
preserved  in  your  note-book,  you  will  be  able  to 
write  an  article  for  the  '  Young  Observers' '  de- 
partment, and  thus  let  us  all  share  something  of 
the  pleasure  which  has  been  yours  during  the 
days  when  you  so  carefully  watched  the  pair  of 
bright  birds  flying  daily  about  your  home. 


144  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

"POINTS   TO    BE   NOTED 

"1.  What  date  did  the  birds  first  appear  in 
your  box  ? 

"2.  What  kind  of  birds  chose  the  box  for 
their  home?  Did  any  other  species  attempt  to 
drive  them  away  ? 

"  3.  When  did  they  first  begin  to  bring  mate- 
rial for  the  nest,  and  how  many  days  before  they 
ceased  to  perform  their  work? 

"4.  What  time  of  the  day  did  the  birds  work 
most  at  their  task,  and  how  early  in  the  morning 
and  late  in  the  evening  did  you  see  them  thus 
engaged  ? 

"5.  Did  the  male  and  female  both  build  the 
home  ?  if  not,  which  one  appeared  to  be  the  most 
active  in  the  work  ? 

"6.  How  many  days  passed  after  the  birds 
stopped  carrying  nesting-material  before  the  eggs 
hatched? 

"7.  How  often  were  the  young  fed  between 
eight  and  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  four 
and  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  on  two  different 
days  ?  Did  both  birds  feed  the  young,  and  could 
you  tell  what  they  fed  them  ? 

"8.  How  many  days  after  the  eggs  hatched 
before  the  young  left  the  nest  ? 

"9.  Did  the  young  know  how  to  fly  at  once 


BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  145 

upon  leaving  the  nest,  and  do  you  think  the  old 
ones  taught  them  to  fly  ? 

"  10.  When  the  birds  have  left  the  nest  not  to 
return  again,  take  out  the  nesting-material  and 
see  of  what  it  is  composed.  How  many  feathers, 
twigs,  strings,  pieces  of  grass,  or  other  articles 
did  it  contain  ?  " 

As  an  illustration  of  the  constant  and  accurate 
observations  made  possible  by  having  the  birds 
nest  at  one's  door  are  given  the  following  records 
kept  by  Master  Edward  Uehling,  of  the  Passaic, 
N.  J.,  Schools :  — 

Bluebird  House  Wren 

Began  to  build  April  17                     May    8 

1st  egg  laid  "     24                       "     16 

2d   «      "  "     25                       "     17 

3d    "      "  «     26                       "     18 

4th    «      "  •'     19 

5th    "      "  "     20 

6th    "      "  "     21 

7th     "      "  "     22 

Young  hatched  May  11                       June    4 

"      left  nest  "    30                          "     21 

Feeding  Winter  Birds 

The  introductory  work  to  feeding  the  winter 
birds  should  be  done  in  the  late  fall,  as  it  is 
important  that  food  should  be  provided  early  to 
secure  the  greatest  returns  in  attracting  the  birds. 
A  talk  on  the  food  of  birds  may  be  given  so  as  to 
bring  out  the  two  classes  of  foods  for  birds,  the 


146  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

animal  and  vegetable.  The  purpose  of  this  talk 
should  be,  first,  to  show  the  children  the  kind  of 
food  to  be  provided  ;  second,  to  show  that  much 
of  the  food  of  the  birds  is  covered  by  snow  and 
ice.  Suggestions  should  be  given  regarding  the 
best  kinds  of  food  to  be  used  and  the  best  ways 
of  putting  it  out  (for  a  discussion  of  which  see 
Chapter  in).  The  necessity  of  providing  a  con- 
stant supply  of  food  should  be  emphasized,  and 
also  of  seeing  that  there  is  a  food-supply  imme- 
diately following  snowstorms.  It  will  be  well  to 
remind  the  children  each  week  about  the  food- 
supply,  so  that  they  will  not  forget  it.  The  child- 
ren will  become  enthusiastic  over  the  prospect 
of  taming  the  birds  sufficiently  to  feed  from  the 
hand.  The  construction  of  moving  lunch-count- 
ers, as  suggested  on  page  94,  may  be  made  a 
part  of  the  manual-training  work,  as  well  as  the 
building  of  bird-houses.  This  kind  of  counter  is 
especially  recommended  to  the  children  for  its 
conveniences,  as  being  easily  kept  provided  with 
food,  as  being  a  partial  protection  against  the 
English  sparrow,  and  as  furnishing  a  means  of 
gradually  taming  the  birds. 

Shelter.  —  And  not  only  should  the  children 
be  encouraged  to  provide  food,  but  some  places 
of  shelter  as  well.  The  bird-houses  intended  for 


BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  147 

nesting-sites  may  serve  this  purpose,  or  a  more 
open  box  with  back  toward  the  storms  may  be 
placed  in  some  sheltered  spot. 

And  while  the  children  are  being  encouraged 
to  feed  the  birds  at  home,  a  lunch-counter  should 
be  provided  in  the  school-yard  if  the  conditions 
will  allow  it.  The  following  suggestions  regard- 
ing such  a  table  are  given  by  Mrs.  M.  0.  Wright 
in  "  A  Year  With  the  Birds  " :  — 

"A   SCHOOL- YARD   RESTAURANT 

"  As  you  have  already  learned,  some  birds  eat 
insects  and  others  seed-foods;  or,  to  put  it  in 
another  way,  some  birds  prefer  meat  and  some 
bread ;  so  if  you  wish  to  suit  all  kinds  you  must 
feed  them  with  sandwiches,  made  of  both  bread 
and  meat. 

" ( Sandwiches  for  birds  !  —  how  foolish  ! '  I 
hear  some  one  say.  Stop  and  think  a  moment,  and 
you  will  see  that  it  is  merely  a  way  of  expressing, 
a  figure  of  speech,  as  it  is  called. 

"  Give  the  birds  the  material,  crumbs,  cracked 
corn,  hayloft  sweepings,  bits  of  bacon,  suet,  or 
bones  that  have  some  rags  of  meat  attached,  and 
they  will  make  their  own  sandwiches,  each  one  to 
his  taste. 

"If  this  food  is  merely  scattered  upon  the 


148  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

ground  it  will  attract  mice,  rats,  and  other  rodents, 
but  i£  a  regular  lunch-counter  is  prepared  for  the 
food,  you  will  find  that  the  birds  will  appreciate 
the  courtesy,  become  liberal  customers  and  run 
up  a  long  bill ;  this,  however,  they  will  pay  with 
music  when  spring  comes. 

"A   SUGGESTION   FOR   THE   LUNCH-COUNTER 

"Every  school  has  its  flag-pole,  and,  while 
some  are  fastened  to  the  building  itself,  many 
stand  free  and  are  planted  in  the  yard. 

"  Around  this  pole  a  square  or  circular  shelf 
about  eight  inches  wide  can  be  fastened,  four 
feet  from  the  ground,  and  edged  with  a  strip  of 
beading,  barrel-hoops,  or  the  like.  A  dozen  ten- 
penny  nails  should  be  driven  on  the  outside  edge 
at  intervals,  like  the  spokes  to  a  wheel,  and  the 
whole  neatly  painted  to  match  the  pole. 

"Then  each  week  one  child  should  be  ap- 
pointed as  Bird  Steward,  his  or  her  duties  being 
to  collect  the  scraps  after  the  noon  dinner-hour 
and  place  them  neatly  on  the  counter,  the  crusts 
and  crumbs  on  the  shelf  and  the  meat  to  be  hung 
on  the  spikes. 

"  Nothing  will  come  amiss  —  pine-cones,  beech- 
nuts, the  shells  of  hard-boiled  eggs,  broken  fine, 
apple-cores,  half -cleaned  nuts ;  and  if  the  child- 
ren will  tell  their  parents  of  the  counter,  they 


BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  149 

will  often  put  an  extra  scrap  or  so  in  the  dinner- 
pail  to  help  the  feast.  Or  the  fortunate  children 
whose  fathers  keep  the  market,  the  grocery-store, 
or  the  mill,  may  be  ahle  to  obtain  enough  of  the 
wastage  to  leave  an  extra  supply  on  Friday,  so 
that  the  pensioners  need  not  go  hungry  over 
Sunday. 

"  All  the  while  the  flag  will  wave  gayly  over 
the  little  Citizen  Bird,  as  under  its  protection  it 
feeds  on  its  human  brother's  bounty." 

In  case  any  efforts  are  made  by  adults  in  the 
neighborhood  to  feed  systematically  those  birds 
which  do  not  come  close  to  buildings,  such  as  the 
quail  and  partridge,  the  older  boys  of  the  school 
should  become  enthusiastic  assistants  in  helping 
to  clear  away  the  snow  at  the  feeding-stations, 
and  provide  fresh  supplies  of  food. 

The  following  suggestions  are  given  to  direct 
the  children's  observations  of  the  winter  birds :  — 

1.  Try  a  variety  of  foods  and  note  what  kind 
of  food  is  eaten  by  each  species  and  what  kind 
each  seems  to  prefer.  Does  each  kind  of  bird  eat 
both  vegetable  and  animal  food,  or  confine  itself 
to  one  kind  ?  What  birds  eat  the  greatest  variety 
of  foods?  Which  birds  will  eat  suet  from  a  tree- 
trunk? 


150  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

2.  How  do   the  various   birds   approach   the 
counter  ?  Do  they  give  any  warning  of  their  com- 
ing by  giving  any  call-notes  ? 

3.  After  reaching  the  counter,  note  their  ac- 
tions.   Do  they  stay  on  the  trough  and  eat  the 
food,  or  do  they  fly  away  with  it  first? 

4.  Do  the  birds  all  crack  seeds  in  the  same 
manner  ? 

5.  At  what  time  in  the  morning  are  the  first 
visits  made,  and  at  what  time  in  the  afternoon 
the  last? 

6.  Which  birds  seem  to  visit  the  counter  most 
frequently  during   the   day?    Which   least  fre- 
quently ? 

7.  Make  a  list  of  birds  in  accordance  with  the 
degree  of  tameness  which  they  show,  placing  the 
tamest  first.  Which  ones  will  come  to  the  window- 
sill  ?    Do  any  become  so  tame  as  to  feed  out  of 
the  hand? 

8.  How  early  in  the  season  do  the  birds  begin 
to  feed?    Which  come  first?   How  late  in  the 
spring  do  the  birds  continue  to  come?   Which 
remain  the  longest? 

9.  Do  any  of  the  migrating  birds  in  the  spring 
come  to  feed? 

10.  Make  a  list  of  the  birds  in  the  order  of 
fear  shown  toward  other  birds,  placing  first  those 
which  are  not  driven  from  the  trough  by  the 


.  BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  151 

approach  of  other  birds  and  last  those  most  easily 
driven  away. 

11.  Occasionally  an  individual  bird  has  some 
peculiar  marking  by  which  it  may  be  recognized. 
If  you  find  any  of  this  kind,  make  a  special 
study  of  that  individual,  noting  in  what  ways 
he  differs  from  other  individuals  of  the  same 
species. 

12.  In  what  kind  of  weather  do  the  largest 
number  of  birds  come  to  feed  ? 

13.  Toward  night,  watch  the  bird-houses  or 
shelters  that  you  may  have  provided  and  see  what 
birds  use  them. 

The  observations  made  both  on  the  winter  birds 
and  on  those  that  nest  in  houses  may  well  serve 
as  the  foundation  for  much  of  the  language-work. 
The  children  will  take  hold  of  the  work  with  much 
more  zest  and  interest  because  it  is  based  upon 
something  which  they  have  actually  seen  and 
done. 

English  Sparrow.  —  The  great  difficulty  to  be 
met  here,  as  with  bird-houses,  is  the  English  spar- 
row. But  the  ill  results  may  be  less  noticeable 
here  than  with  the  bird-houses,  for  only  one  pair 
can  nest  in  a  house,  while  many  birds  may  do  their 
feeding  at  a  counter,  if  not  at  the  same  time,  then 
at  different  times  during  the  day.  But  the  gen- 


152  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

eral  effect  of  the  sparrows  is  to  drive  other  birds 
away,  for  they  congregate  in  flocks  even  when 
they  are  not  feeding.  Some  suggestions  as  to  how 
this  difficulty  may  be  partly  met  in  the  construc- 
tion and  location  of  the  counters  have  been  given 
in  Chapter  in,  but  of  course  the  children  should 
not  attempt  the  methods  of  poisoning  or  trap- 
ping explained  there.  This  should  be  left  for 
adults. 

While  the  two  methods  of  attracting  birds  dis- 
cussed in  this  chapter  are  the  ones  best  adapted  for 
school  use,  something  may  also  be  done  in  the 
line  of  encouraging  the  children  to  provide  drink- 
ing-fountains  and  of  instructing  them  how  to  make 
the  fountains.  The  planting  of  trees  and  shrubs 
requires  so  long  before  the  returns  come  in,  that 
this  method  of  attracting  the  birds  will  not  ap- 
peal strongly  to  the  children,  but  they  may  be 
encouraged  to  plant  a  row  of  hemp,  Japanese 
millet,  or  sunflowers,  to  attract  the  goldfinches, 
and  to  furnish  a  supply  for  the  winter  lunch- 
table. 

Bird-fountain  in  a  School-yard.  —  In  some 
cases  it  may  be  practicable  to  construct  a  bird- 
fountain  in  the  school-yard,  which  may  thus  pro- 
vide an  opportunity  for  the  children  to  study  the 
habits  of  the  birds  which  visit  it,  and  may  furnish 


BIRD-PROTECTION  IN  SCHOOLS  153 

an  incentive  and  object-lesson  for  the  children  to 
construct  a  fountain  at  home.  Such  a  fountain 
was  constructed  a  few  years  ago  in  a  school-yard 
at  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  under  the  super- 
vision of  Miss  Edna  R.  Thayer.  The  money  was 
raised  by  the  children  in  various  ways,  the  entire 
cost  of  the  fountain  being  twenty-two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents.  The  fountain  was  made  on  the  same 
plan  as  that  described  by  Dr.  Hodge  (pages  120, 
121).  Wild  flowers  were  planted  in  the  crevices 
of  the  fountain  and  at  its  base,  and  clumps  of 
shrubbery  were  set  near  so  that  their  fruit 
might  furnish  food  for  the  birds.  Connections 
were  made  so  that  running  water  dripped  into  the 
basin,  and  a  drain  carried  off  the  surplus  water. 
The  first  year  that  the  fountain  was  built  it  was 
visited  by  twenty-five  species  of  birds  before 
school  closed  in  June. 

Some  of  the  res-ults  of  this  fountain  are  thus  set 
forth  by  Miss  Thayer  in  "  Primary  Education  ":  — 

"  Without  a  suggestion  from  any  one  several 
of  the  older  boys  and  girls  copied  the  bird- 
fountain  idea  at  their  homes.  Some  placed  pans 
of  water  in  the  midst  of  a  pile  of  stones,  with 
plants  filling  the  spaces  between  them,  the  pan  to 
be  emptied  each  day ;  while  one  boy  connected 
a  length  of  old  rubber  hose  to  his  pan,  thus 
securing  a  constant  supply  of  cool,  fresh  water. 


154          METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

"  And  so  the  bird-fountain  seems  to  have  been 
a  happy  thought  for  our  school.  The  children 
have  learned  to  know  the  birds  and  their  habits 
with  a  sympathetic  and  protective  interest  which 
could  never  have  been  aroused  had  they  not  had 
a  personal  share  in  helping  and  caring  for  their 
little  feathered  neighbors." 

A  fountain  on  the  same  plan  has  recently  been 
constructed  in  the  yard  of  Franklin  School,  Pas- 
saic,  New  Jersey.  The  children  were  given  a  talk 
on  bird-fountains  and  shown  pictures  of  the  one  at 
Worcester,  and  asked  if  they  would  like  to  have 
a  similar  one  in  their  own  yard.  Under  the  en- 
thusiastic guidance  of  Miss  Lees,  the  principal, 
the  children  contributed  liberally,  so  that,  after 
paying  for  the  fountain  and  the  shrubs  and  other 
plants  set  around  it,  there  was  a  small  surplus 
left.  The  stones  used  in  the  construction  of  the 
fountain  were  rough  pieces  of  red  sandstone,  ob- 
tained from  neighboring  excavations,  and  match- 
ing the  foundation  and  trimmings  of  the  school 
building.  The  fountain  has  been  finished  so 
recently  that  there  has  not  been  sufficient  time 
to  report  any  results.  (See  illustration,  page  118,) 


CHAPTER  VH 

BIRD-PHOTOGRAPHY 

THE  purpose  of  this  chapter  is  to  call  the  at- 
tention of  the  reader  to  the  splendid  opportunity 
offered  for  taking  pictures  of  those  birds  which 
may  be  attracted  around  our  homes,  and  to  give 
a  few  general  suggestions  regarding  the  equip- 
ment needed  and  the  method  of  using  it.  No 
attempt  will  be  made  to  treat  this  subject  from 
a  professional  standpoint,  for  the  author  is  but 
an  amateur  in  this  work  and  does  not  anticipate 
that  he  will  be  able  to  contribute  much  to  those 
who  have  already  had  experience  in  bird-photo- 
graphy, except  as  another's  experience  may 
prove  of  interest ;  but  to  those  who  have  never 
taken  the  first  step  in  the  fascinating  art  of 
bird-photography,  perhaps  these  experiences  may 
prove  suggestive. 

From  the  time  when  the  author  first  became 
interested  in  bird-life  he  looked  forward  with 
much  anticipation  of  pleasure  to  the  time  when 
his  bird-studies  might  be  pursued  with  a  camera, 
but  the  great  expense  which  he  had  understood 
was  involved  in  securing  the  proper  equipment 


156  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

seemed  to  postpone  for  some  time  the  fulfillment 
of  these  desires.  It  was,  therefore,  "with  much 
gratification  that  the  following  statement  was 
found  in  Job's  "  Among  the  Water-Fowl " : 
"  An  expensive  outfit  is  entirely  unnecessary.  In 
case  my  own  experience  may  prove  an  encourage- 
ment, let  me  say  that  all  my  pictures  in  this  book 
were  taken  with  an  ordinary  4x5  focusing  cam- 
era, rapid  rectilinear  lens,  and  bellows  of  12 
inches  draw,  that  cost  me  less  than  $20." 

Thus  encouraged  at  the  possibility  of  securing 
the  necessary  outfit  at  a  small  expense,  inquiries 
were  made,  and  through  a  friend,  attention  was 
called  to  a  second-hand  outfit  adapted  to  bird- 
photography,  which  was  secured  for  about  twenty 
dollars,  and  which  proved  fairly  well  fitted  for  the 
purpose.  It  was  a  5  x  7  camera,  which  is  too  large 
and  heavy  for  field  work.  In  this  has  been  used 
a  kit  and  4  x  5  plates  altogether.  A  4  x  5  camera 
is  better  adapted  to  bird-photography,  as  it  is 
very  seldom  that  one  needs  a  larger  plate,  and 
in  tramping  through  the  country  the  larger  size 
is  quite  a  burden  on  a  hot  summer  day. 

Kind  of  Camera.  — As  birds  are  compara- 
tively small  objects,  it  is  necessary  for  the  camera 
to  be  placed  quite  near  the  object  to  be  photo- 
graphed  in  order  to  secure  a  sufficiently  large 


BIRD-PHOTOGRAPHY  157 

image ;  for  this  a  long  draw  of  bellows  and  a  long 
focus  lens  are  needed.  They  are  the  only  absolute 
requisites.  Other  improvements  which  can  be  se- 
cured without  much  additional  expense  are  the 
reversible  back  and  the  swing  back,  the  first  of 
which  will  come  into  frequent  use  and  the  second 
into  occasional  use  in  photographing  nests;  but 
they  are  not  essential. 

Another  device  which  the  author  has  found 
such  a  constant  convenience  and  time-saver  as  to 
be  almost  indispensable  is  a  ball-and-socket  at- 
tachment to  go  on  the  tripod  to  which  the  camera 
is  to  be  attached.  This  allows  the  camera  to  be 
pointed  almost  instantly  in  any  direction,  and 
frequently  when  quick  work  is  demanded  may 
be  the  means  of  securing  a  picture  which  might 
otherwise  be  lost,  and  in  all  cases  it  is  a  wonder- 
ful convenience. 

Incidentals.  —  Another  device,  which  under 
certain  conditions  may  be  so  essential  that  with- 
out it  no  photographs  can  be  secured,  is  a  steel 
rod  about  a  foot  long  and  three  eighths  of  an 
inch  in  diameter.  At  one  end  it  tapers  and  is 
provided  with  threads  so  that  it  can  be  screwed 
into  any  tree  or  post.  Near  the  other  end  is  a 
plate  three  inches  in  diameter,  with  a  hole  in  the 
centre,  allowing  the  camera  and  ball-and-socket 


158  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

attachment  to  be  securely  fastened  to  the  plate. 
To  illustrate  the  uses  to  -which  this  may  be  put, 
two  instances  which  happened  last  summer  may 
be  cited.  A  nest  of  a  song  sparrow  was  found  on 
the  ground.  An  attempt  was  made  to  spread  out 
the  legs  of  the  tripod  so  as  to  get  the  camera 
down  low  enough,  but  it  could  not  be  arranged. 
So  a  post  was  driven  into  the  ground  near  the 
nest,  and  then  the  screw  was  turned  into  the  post 
and  the  camera  attached.  A  little  later  in  the  sea- 
son, an  oriole's  nest  was  found  so  high  up  in  an 
old  apple  tree  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  at- 
tach the  camera;  so  the  screw  was  fastened  to  the 
largest  limb  and  the  camera  attached  to  this.  And 
many  other  cases  will  arise  where  this  will  be  of 
great  service. 

Method  of  working  Shutter. — While  the  birds 
will  soon  become  accustomed  to  the  nearness  of 
the  camera,  some  device  is  needed  so  that  the 
operator  may  stand  at  a  distance  and  work 
the  shutter.  This  may  be  done  by  means  of 
long  rubber  tubing,  attached  to  the  shutter,  and 
through  which  air  is  forced  with  a  bicycle  pump, 
at  the  other  end.  As  still  another  means,  a  piece 
of  metal  may  be  attached  to  the  lever  of  the 
shutter,  to  lengthen  it  so  that  it  will  snap  more 
easily ;  and  to  this  may  be  tied  a  piece  of  linen 


BIRD-PHOTOGRAPHY  159 

thread  which  may  be  passed  around  the  focusing 
screw  and  then  carried  to  any  distance.  The  au- 
thor uses  a  spool  of  ordinary  linen  thread,  which 
enables  him  to  retire  to  any  distance  desired. 
Each  method  has  its  advantages,  the  chief  ones 
of  the  latter  being  perhaps  the  slight  expense 
involved,  the  small  weight  to  carry  on  field-trips, 
and  the  easy  adaptability  to  any  desired  length. 
The  advantages  of  the  rubber  tubing  are  that 
it  is  not  disturbed  by  the  wind  and  there  is  not 
the  risk  of  the  shutter's  being  operated  accident- 
ally that  there  is  with  the  thread.  The  author 
has  used  the  thread  entirely  in  his  work,  and  has 
found  it  on  the  whole  quite  satisfactory,  though 
perhaps,  everything  considered,  the  tubing  may 
be  superior. 

Time  to  photograph.  —  In  order  to  approach 
a  bird  closely  enough  to  photograph  it,  one  must 
take  advantage  of  some  strong  instinct,  or  feel- 
ing, which  will  offset  the  fear  caused  by  the  near- 
ness of  the  camera.  The  two  feelings  which  may 
be  used  to  the  best  advantage  are  the  parental 
instinct  shown  in  rearing  the  young,  and  the  feel- 
ing of  hunger.  Opportunity  for  -using  the  former 
means  is  furnished  by  those  birds  which  nest  in 
houses ;  and  for  using  the  latter  means  by  those 
which  will  come  to  the  winter  feast. 


160  METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

Photographing  Birds  at  Nesting-houses.  — 
It  has  been  the  author's  experience  that  the  birds 
which  nest  around  buildings  or  come  there  for 
food  have  become  so  tame  and  accustomed  to 
the  proximity  of  human  beings  that  they  can  be 
photographed  with  great  ease.  With  both  blue- 
birds and  house  wrens,  almost  as  soon  as  the 
camera  was  in  position  the  birds  came  to  the  nest, 
and  it  was  necessary  for  the  operator  to  retire 
only  a  short  distance,  and  in  some  cases  probably 
he  might  have  remained  at  the  camera.  The 
opportunity  offered  of  securing  photographs 
with  but  little  trouble  is  an  excellent  one.  If  the 
house  is  in  a  position  difficult  of  access  for  setting 
up  the  camera,  it  may  easily  be  lowered  without 
alarming  the  birds,  and  then  replaced  in  its 
first  position  after  the  pictures  have  been  secured. 
The  author  has  tried  this  with  both  bluebirds  and 
wrens,  and  the  feeding  of  the  young  went  on  as 
usual  after  the  house  had  been  changed,  although 
in  one  case  the  male  bluebird  came  much  less  fre- 
quently to  the  nest. 

As  a  convenience  in  moving  the  house,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  the  method  of  putting  up 
houses  explained  on  pages  78  and  79.  An  observa- 
tion box,  made  as  suggested  on  pages  20  and  21, 
allows  opportunity  for  photographing  the  young 
as  well  as  the  old  birds. 


BIRD-PHOTOGRAPHY  161 

Photographing  Winter  Birds.  —  The  pictures 
of  most  of  the  winter  birds  taken  by  the  author 
were  secured  by  placing  the  camera  just  inside 
the  window,  only  a  few  feet  from  the  lunch- 
counter,  while  the  operator  sat  just  back  of  the 
camera.  There  is  a  special  degree  of  satisfaction 
in  photographing  winter  birds,  because  one  is 
not  in  any  way  interfering  with  the  life  of  the 
bird  or  disturbing  it  in  any  way,  and  there  is  ab- 
solutely no  possibility  of  accident,  of  which  there 
is  always  danger  in  working  with  young  birds ; 
though  this  is  more  than  compensated  by  the 
trust  which  the  birds  usually  come  to  show  in 
the  operator. 

During  the  winter  of  1906-1907,  the  author 
had  good  opportunities  for  photographing  the 
birds.  His  friend  Master  Uehling  had  arranged 
a  moving  counter  as  explained  on  page  94,  and 
soon  most  of  the  birds  came  to  the  window  to 
feed.  To  secure  pictures  of  those  which  would 
not  come,  or  which  came  only  occasionally,  to  the 
sill,  food  was  scattered  on  the  ground  in  a  spot 
from  which  the  snow  had  been  removed.  The 
camera  was  focused  on  the  food  and  the  thread 
run  to  the  second-story  window.  The  blue  jays 
came  occasionally  to  the  window,  but  no  good 
photograph  of  these  birds  was  obtained  here. 
Most  of  the  work,  however,  was  done  at  the  win- 


162          METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

dow,  the  camera  being  set  up  just  inside,  and  in- 
cidentally it  may  be  worth  mentioning  that  dur- 
ing the  bitter  cold  days  it  was  most  gratifying  to 
be  able  to  sit  in  a  warm  room  while  securing  pic- 
tures. At  first  the  window  was  kept  open  ;  but  it 
was  found  that  the  double  click  of  the  shutter 
used  frightened  the  birds  sufficiently,  so  that  most 
of  the  pictures  were  blurred.  Accordingly  the  win- 
dow was  closed  and  pictures  were  secured  with  less 
difficulty,  as  the  birds  could  not  hear  the  noise 
of  the  shutter,  and  sometimes  it  was  possible  to 
change  the  plates  and  secure  two  pictures  of  the 
same  bird  before  it  left  the  counter. 

During  the  winter  photographs  were  secured  of 
nine  species:  the  chickadee,  white-breasted  nut- 
hatch, downy  woodpecker,  brown  creeper,  blue 
jay,  hermit  thrush,  myrtle  warbler,  junco,  and 
song  sparrow.  This  list  includes  all  the  birds  that 
came  to  feed  excepting  the  tree  and  white-throated 
sparrows,  but  these  were  both  very  rare  visitors 
at  this  particular  lunch-counter.  Pictures  of  all 
these,  with  the  exception  of  the  junco,  were  se- 
cured at  the  window-sill.  The  chickadees  became 
so  tame  as  to  feed  from  the  hand. 

Actions  of  the  Different  Species.  —  The  vari- 
ous species  of  birds  showed  considerable  differ- 
ences in  the  way  in  which  they  seemed  to  regard 


BIRD-PHOTOGRAPHY  163 

the  camera  at  first.  After  a  little  they  became  so 
accustomed  to  it  that  they  came  and  went  when 
it  was  present  as  when  it  was  absent.  The  chicka- 
dees from  the  start  paid  no  attention  to  it,  nor  did 
the  thrush,  creepers,  juncos,  or  myrtle  warblers; 
the  nuthatches  and  blue  jays  showed  quite  a  de- 
gree of  caution,  but  the  backwardness  of  the 
former  was  removed  by  closing  the  window,  while 
the  latter  seemed  willing  to  trust  themselves  within 
the  range  of  the  mysterious-looking  object,  only 
when  driven  by  hunger.  The  downy  woodpecker 
was  the  most  obstinate  of  all,  always  eying  the 
outfit  suspiciously,  with  a  swinging  motion  of  his 
body  from  side  to  side ;  and  even  when  he  was 
within  range  of  the  camera  he  was  so  quick- 
motioned  that  the  pictures  were  nearly  all  spoiled. 
It  was  only  during  the  latter  part  of  the  winter 
that  he  became  sufficiently  reconciled  to  the  pre- 
sence of  the  camera  so  that  a  respectable  picture 
was  obtained. 

The  hardest  chase  of  all  was  given  by  the  brown 
creeper,  not  because  he  was  alarmed  at  all  at  the 
camera,  but  on  account  of  his  peculiar  habits.  He 
seldom  came  more  than  two  or  three  times  a  day 
to  the  trough,  and  when  he  did  come  it  was  in 
such  a  quiet,  unobtrusive  way,  giving  absolutely 
no  warning  of  his  approach,  that  unless  one  kept 
constant  and  close  watch  on  the  trough,  he  might 


164          METHODS  OF  ATTRACTING  BIRDS 

come  and  go  before  his  presence  was  detected.  It 
was  only  by  keeping  the  camera  set  up  for  hours 
at  a  time  and  keeping  unremitting  watch  of  the 
shelf  that  any  pictures  were  secured.  The  author 
would  hardly  dare  to  tell  the  number  of  hours 
spent  in  securing  pictures  of  the  creeper  and 
downy  woodpecker. 

As  a  means  of  securing  pictures  of  tree-trunk 
birds  in  their  natural  position,  a  branch  of  an  old 
apple  tree  was  attached  vertically  to  one  side  of 
the  window  and  a  piece  of  suet  nailed  to  the 
branch,  all  other  food  being  removed  from  the 
trough.  In  this  way  pictures  were  secured  of  the 
downy  and  the  creeper,  the  white-breasted  nut- 
hatch and  the  chickadee.  The  first  two  sidled  their 
way  up  the  branch  to  the  suet,  and  just  as  the 
shutter  was  pulled,  the  former  dodged  his  head 
into  his  own  shadow,  and  the  creeper  zigzagged 
at  the  last  moment  away  from  the  suet  instead  of 
toward  it,  thus  blurring  the  picture  a  little.  The 
nuthatch  climbed  up  above  the  suet,  and  then, 
turning  around  in  his  characteristic  position,  head 
downward,  pecked  at  it;  while  the  chickadee 
alighted  with  both  feet  on  the  suet,  and  partook 
of  the  feast  in  any  position  that  pleased  his 
fancy  at  the  moment. 


APPENDIX 

LIST  OF  THOSE  TO  WHOBB  CONTRIBUTIONS  THE  AUTHOR  HAS  HAD 
ACCESS  OK  WHO  HAVE  FURNISHED  INFORMATION  THROUGH  PER- 
SONAL CORRESPONDENCE. 

Alderman,  L.  R.,  Eugene,  Oregon. 

Allen,  J.  C.,  Hackettstown,  N.  J. 

Ayers,  M.  A.,  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H. 

Ayres,  Mary  A.,  Medford,  Mass. 

Ball,  Jennie  C.,  Oakville,  Conn. 

Baynes,  Ernest  Harold,  Meriden,  N.  H. 

Beal,  F.  E.  L.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Bergtold,  Dr.  W.  H.,  Denver,  Col. 

Bixby,  H.  S.,  Plattsburg,  N.  Y. 

Black,  Isabel  C.,  York,  Pa. 

Blanchan,  Neltje  (Mrs.  F.  N.  Doubleday,  New  York). 

Bole,  Marion. 

Bond,  Frank,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Bonner,  Mrs.  Paul  R.,  Stamford,  Conn. 

Bowdish,  B.  S.,  Demarest,  N.  J. 

Bowen,  Mrs.  Carroll  E.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Brewster,  William,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

Brown,  Clarence  D.,  Rutherford,  N.  J. 

Brown,  Edwin  C.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Bruen,  Frank,  Bristol,  Conn. 

Burns,  Frank  L.,  Oberlin,  Ohio. 

Cairns,  F.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Case,  Bert  F.,  Middle  Haddam,  Conn. 

Chapman,  Frank  M.,  Englewood,  N.  J. 

Clark,  Josiah. 


166  APPENDIX 

Cleaves,  Howard  H.,  Prince's  Bay,  N.  Y. 

Davenport,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  B.,  Brattleboro,  Vt. 

Dike,  A.  C.,  Bristol,  Vt. 

Dolbear,  Mary  E.,  Tufts  College,  Mass. 

Embody,  G.  C.,  Ithaca,  N.  Y. 

Evans,  Allen,  Jr.,  Haverford,  Pa. 

Evans,  Rowland,  Jr.,  Haverford,  Pa. 

Finley,  W.  L.,  Portland,  Oregon. 

Fisher,  Dr.  A.  K.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Forbush,  Edward  H.,  Westboro,  Mass. 

Francis,  Sarah  M.,  Elkhorn,  Wis. 

French,  Mrs.  W.  M.  R.,  Beverly  Hills,  111. 

Gault,  B.  T.,  Glen  Ellyn,  111. 

Grant,  W.  W.,  Summit,  N.  J. 

Hansinger,  Lelia  E.,  St.  Albans,  Vt. 

Hegner,  Robert  W.,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 

Henshaw,  H.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Hodge,  Prof.  C.  F.,  Worcester,  Mass. 

Holmes,  Mrs.  Georgiana  K.,  Summit,  N.  J. 

Holtz,  Fred  L.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Horton,  Wm.  C.,  Brattleboro,  Vt. 

Hunt,  Richard  M.,  Winchester,  Mass. 

Ives,  Ella  G.,  Brookline,  Mass. 

Jackson,  Anne  W.,  Jacksonville,  111. 

Jackson,  William  M.,  Campbellsville,  Ky. 

Jacobs,  J.  Warren,  Waynesburg,  Pa. 

Kauffman,  Rebecca  H.,  Oregon,  111. 

Lacey,  Lottie  A.,  Southport,  Conn. 

Lange,  D.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

Lord,  Rev.  William  R.,  Dover,  Mass. 

Luther,  Ella,  Lake  George,  N.  Y. 

McLemon,  Isabel,  Englewood,  N.  J. 

Mead,  E.  M.,  New  York  City. 

Menke,  H.  W.,  Aurora,  Wyo. 


APPENDIX  167 

Merriam,  Florence  A.  (Mrs.  Vernon  Bailey,  Washington, 

B.C.) 

Oberholser,  Harry  C.,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Pearson,  T.  Gilbert,  Greensboro,  N.  C. 
Pellett,  Frank  C.,  Atlantic,  Iowa. 
Pennell,  Elizabeth  A.,  Brunswick,  Me. 
Robbins,  Samuel  D.,  Belraont,  Mass. 
Robinson,  Daniel  C.,  Manchester,  Me. 
Rogers,  Ruth,  Sherman,  Conn. 
Savage,  W.  G.,  Monteer,  Mo. 
Schantz,  Orpheus  M.,  Chicago,  HI. 
Seton,  Ernest  Thompson,  Cos  Cob,  Conn. 
Shattuck,  Gertrude  A.,  Dorchester,  Mass. 
Sherman,  Althea  R.,  National,  Iowa. 
Sinnott,  Edmund  W.,  Bridgewater,  Mass. 
Smith,  Harriet  S.,  Berlin,  Conn. 
Soule,  Caroline  G.,  Brookline,  Mass. 
Stanley,  Mrs.  Mary  R.,  North  Attleboro,  Mass. 
Surface,  H.  A.,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 
Taylor,  John  W.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
Ten  Eyck,  Elizabeth  F.,  Lansing,  Mich. 
Torrey,  Bradford,  Newton  Lower  Falls,  Mass. 
Treat,  Mrs.  Mary,  Vineland,  N.  J. 
Uehling,  Edward,  Passaic,  N.  J. 
Van  Sant,  F.  A.,  Jay,  N.  Y. 
Vredenburgh,  Abbie,  Curran,  111. 
Warren,  E.  R.,  Colorado  Springs,  Col. 
Watkins,  John,  Calumet,  Mich. 
Webster,  Laurence  J.,  Holderness,  N.  H. 
Welty,  Dr.  E.  J,,  Portland,  Oregon. 
Widmann,  Otto,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
Woodcock,  J.,  Minnedosa,  Manitoba. 
Wright,  Mrs.  Mabel  Osgood,  Fairfield,  Conn. 


INDEX 


Adaptability  of  birds,  13. 

Blackbird,  Crow,  eating  fruit,  129. 
Blackbird,  Red-winged,  eating  fruit, 

129. 
Blackbird,  Yellow-headed,  feeding 

in  winter,  87. 
Bluebird,    nesting-house    for,    26; 

tamed  to  eat  from  hand,  84. 
Box,    observation,    19.      See    also 

Houses. 

Camera  for  bird  photography,  156. 
Cardinal,  eating  fruit,  129;  feeding 

in  winter,  87. 
Cat,  fences  to  keep  out  the,  63; 

outwitting  the,  61 ;  traps  for  the, 

63. 

Catbird,  eating  fruit,  129. 
Cedar-bird,  eating  fruit,  129. 
Chickadee,  eating  fruit,  129 ;  feeding 

in  winter,  87;  nesting-house  for, 

26;  tamed  to  feed  from  hand,  84. 
Chickadee,  Carolina,  28. 
Covers  for  nesting-houses,  23. 
Creeper,  Brown,  feeding  in  winter, 

87. 
Crow,  eating  fruit,  129;  feeding  in 

winter,  87. 

Crow,  Clark's,  feeding  in  winter,  87. 
Cuckoo,  eating  fruit,  129. 

Duck,  Wood,  nesting-houses  for,  28. 

Farm,  value  of  birds  on,  6. 
Feeding  birds,  effect  of,  6. 
Fence,  cat-proof,  63. 
Finch,  Gray-crowned  Rosy,  feeding 

in  winter,  87. 
Finch,  House,  nesting-bouses  for, 

29. 


Finch,  Purple,  eating  fruit,  129. 

Flicker,  eating  fruit,  129;  feeding 
in  winter,  87;  nesting-houses  for, 
30. 

Flycatcher,  Crested,  nesting-houses 
for,  31. 

Food,  in  box,  92;  in  cocoanut,  92; 
on  ground,  90  ;  on  tree  shelf,  90  ;  on 
tree  trunk,  90  ;  on  window  shelf,  91  ; 
on  moving  shelf,  93;  plants  for, 
125;  for  winter  birds,  80,  88. 

Food-bell,  102. 

Food  house,  100. 

Food  tree,  100. 

Fountain,  essentials  of,  116;  Dr. 
Hodge's,  120;  location  of  ,  116;  on 
lawn,  117;  pans  for,  119;  in  school- 
yard, 152;  visitors  at,  122. 

Fruits,  eaten  by  birds,  128;  birds 
that  eat,  129;  to  plant,  132;  protec- 
tion of  cultivated,  133. 

Germany,  experiments  in,  7,  49,  99, 

124. 

Goldfinch,  feeding  in  winter,  87. 
Gourds,  for  nesting-houses,  22. 
Grosbeak,  Evening,  feeding  in  win- 

ter, 87  ;  tamed  to  feed  from  hand, 

84. 
Grosbeak,  Pine,  eating  fruit,  129; 

feeding  in  winter,  87. 
Grosbeak,     Rose-breasted,    eating 

fruit,  129;  feeding  in  winter,  87. 
Grouse,   Ruffed,  eating  fruit,  129; 

feeding  in  winter,  87. 

,  Sparrow,  in   nesting-house, 


Houses,  bark,  16;  board,  18;  clay,  22; 
swinging,  68;  time  to  put  out,  24; 
' 


170 


INDEX 


Jack,  Whiskey,  feeding  in  winter, 

87;  tamed   to  feed  from  hand, 

84. 
Jay,  Blue,  eating  fruit,  129 ;  feeding 

in  winter,  87. 
Jay,  Oregon,  feeding  in  winter,  87  j 

tamed  to  feed  from  hand,  84. 
Junco,  eating  fruit,  129;  feeding  in 

winter,  87. 

Kingbird,  eating  f  ruit,  129. 
Kinglet,  Golden-crowned,  feeding 
in  winter,  87. 

Lark,  Shore,  feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Limbs,  hollow,  for  nesting-houses, 
15. 

Longspur,  Lapland,  feeding  in  win- 
ter, 87. 

Martin,  attempts  to  reestablish,  34; 

nesting-houses  for,  37. 
Mockingbird,  feeding  in  winter,  87. 
Mortality  among  winter  birds,  4. 
Mud  for  nests,  66. 

Nesting-houses,  birds  using,  14.  See 

also  Houses. 
Nesting-material,  kinds  to  expose, 

55. 

Nesting-sites,  destruction  of  natur- 
al, 2 ;  plants  for,  124. 
Nuthatch,  Red-breasted,  feeding  in 

winter,  87;  tamed  to  feed  from 

hand,  84. 
Nuthatch,  White-breasted,  feeding 

in  winter,  87;  tamed  to  feed  from 

hand,  84. 

Observations  on  bird  tenants,  143. 
Oriole,  Baltimore,  eating  fruit,  129 ; 

nesting-material  for,  56. 
Oriole,  Orchard,  eating  fruit,  129. 
Owl,  Screech,  feeding  in  winter,  87; 

in  nesting-house,  40. 

Pheasant,  feeding  in  winter,  87. 
Phoebe,  eating  fruit,  129;  nesting- 
shelf  for,  54. 


Photographing,  at  nesting-houses, 
160;  winter  birds,  161. 

Plants,  for  food,  125;  for  ornament- 
ation, 132;  for  shelter,  123. 

Problems  of  bird-life,  11. 

Protection  of  birds  in  schools,  136. 

Quail,  eating  fruit,  129;  feeding  in 
winter,  87. 

Redpoll,  feeding  in  winter,  87; 
tamed  to  feed  from  hand,  84. 

Restaurant,  school-yard,  147. 

Robin,  eating  fruit,  129;  in  nesting- 
house,  41 ;  nesting-trays  for,  53. 

Schools,  building  nesting-houses  in, 
138 

School-yard,  feeding  birds  in,  147; 
fountain  in,  152;  nesting-houses 
in,  142. 

Shelf  on  tree,  90 ;  moving,  93 ;  win- 
dow, 91. 

Shelter,  for  winter  birds,  92;  plants 
for,  98. 

Siskin,  Pine,  feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Sparrow,  Chipping,  nesting-mate- 
rial for,  56;  tamed  to  feed  from 
hand,  84. 

Sparrow,  English,  poisoning,  107; 
protecting  food  from,  104 ;  remov- 
ing eggs  of,  71 ;  shooting,  76 ;  trap- 
ping, 77,  106 ;  in  winter,  103. 

Sparrow,  Fox,  eating  fruit,  129; 
feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Sparrow,  Song,  eating  fruit,  129; 
feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Sparrow,  Tree,  eating  fruit,  129; 
feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Sparrow,  White-crowned,  eating 
fruit,  129;  feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Sparrow,  White-throated,  eating 
fruit,  129;  feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Starling,  feeding  in  winter,  87;  in 
nesting-houses,  42. 

Suet-box,  92. 

Swallow,  Bank,  eating  fruit,  129. 

Swallow,  Barn,  nesting-shelf  for,  54. 

Swallow,  Eave,  nesting-shelf  for,  55. 


INDEX 


171 


Swallow,  Tree,  eating  fruit,  129; 
nesting-houses  for,  43. 

Swallow,  Violet-green,  nesting- 
houses  (or,  43. 

Swift,  Chimney,  artificial  chimney 
for,  55. 

Taming  birds  to  feed  from  hand,  84. 

Tanager,  Scarlet,  eating  fruit,  129. 

Thrasher,  Brown,  eating  fruit,  129. 

Thrush,  Hermit,  feeding  in  winter, 
87. 

Thrush,  Wood,  eating  fruit,  129. 

Titmouse,  Tufted,  feeding  in  win- 
ter, 87;  in  nesting-houses,  44; 
tamed  to  feed  from  hand,  84. 

Training,  manual,  138. 

Tree- trunk,  food  on,  90. 

Value  of  birds  on  farm,  6,  9. 
Ventilation  for  nesting-houses,  22. 
Vireos,  nesting-material  for,  56. 
Vireo,  Red-eyed,  eating  fruit,  129. 
Vireo,  White-eyed,  eating  fruit,  129. 

Warbler,  Myrtle,  eating  fruit,  129; 
feeding  in  winter,  87. 


Winter  birds,  value  of,  9  ;  observa- 
tions on,  149. 

Winter  day  with  birds,  97. 

Woodpecker,  Downy,  eating  fruit, 
129;  feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Woodpecker,  Hairy,  eating  fruit, 
129;  feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Woodpecker,  Red-bellied,  feeding 
in  winter,  87. 

Woodpecker,  Red-headed,  in  nest- 
ing-house, 45. 

Woodpecker,  Yellow-bellied,  eating 
fruit,  129. 

Woodpeckers,  experiments  with,  in 
Germany,  49. 

Wren,  Bewick's,  in  nesting-house, 
47. 

Wren,  Carolina,  52. 

Wren,  House,  nesting-houses  for, 
45. 

Wren,  Parkman's,  nesting-houses 
for,  47. 

Wren,  Vigors's,  in  nesting-house, 
47. 

Wren,  Winter,  feeding  in  winter,  87. 

Young  birds,  feeding,  57. 


QL 

676 

T67m 


